The Attorney General is due to provide a decision on whether or not to suspend the hearing of the case filed against former Minister Basil Rajapaksa over the misappropriation of public funds through the ‘Divi Neguma’ program on November 24. 

The case which is currently being heard by Colombo HC Judge Gihan Kulatunga, was temporarily postponed upon a request made by the legal representatives of Basil Rajapaksa. 

A case was lodged against former Minister Basil Rajapaksa upon the instructions of the Attorney general, for siphoning Rs.29.4 million from the ‘Divi Neguma’ program to print 50000 almanacs with the face of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa during his election campaign in late 2014. 

During court proceedings, the legal representatives of Basil Rajapaksa filed a Transfer Application with the Court of Appeal requesting an order to transfer the hearing of the case from the High Court Presided over by Judge Gihan Kulatunga to any other court of the Colombo High Court. 

Colombo HC Judge Gihan Kulatunga is the Judge who delivered the verdict on the ‘Sil Redi’ case condemning Former Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunge and former Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) Director General Anusha Palpita earlier this year. 

Basil Rajapaksa filed a petition stating that he was denied of a fair hearing as Judge Gihan Kulatunga was a member of the Presidential Commission that requested an inquiry into his case creating a conflict of interest. 

The Deputy Attorney General who was appearing for the Attorney General stated that this request is merely an attempt to prolong the hearing of the case. 

Accordingly it was declared that a decision on the request will be made on November 15. However, the Deputy Attorney General stated that both Basil Rajapaksa and Kithsiri Ranawaka should be present for sessions on November 15.