Court rejects plaint against ex-CBSL chief Nivard Cabraal
April 6, 2023 03:23 pm
The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has rejected a private complaint against former Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Ajith Nivard Cabraal over the alleged misappropriation of government funds, Ada Derana reporter said.
Colombo Additional Magistrate Harshana Kekunawala issued this order while accepting the preliminary objections raised by the attorneys appearing on behalf of the former CBSL chief, when the case was taken up today (April 06).
Delivering the decision, the additional magistrate stated that the complainant has failed to submit sufficient facts to present charges against the defendant, and that therefore, the complaint will be dismissed.
The relevant private complaint had been filed by the former Governor of the Southern Province, Rajitha Keerthi Tennakoon, alleging that during Cabraal’s tenure as the Central Bank governor from 2006 to 2015, he had caused a loss of USD 500 million to the Government of Sri Lanka through sovereign bonds due on January 18, 2022.
He is also accused of paying a sum of USD 6.5 million to Pakistani-American political donor Imaad Zuberi without the approval of Cabinet Ministers and thereby being responsible for criminal breach of trust and criminal abuse of funds.