By Ranjith Padmasiri
Former President Maithripala Sirisena has acquired 10 state properties for himself using “Swarnabhoomi” title deeds awarded when he was President. This was revealed through the asset declaration submitted by the former President to the Supreme Court. Five of the ten properties acquired by Mr. Sirisena in this manner also have houses.
The matter was raised by Sanjeeva Jayawardena, PC, when the former President’s lawyers asked the Supreme Court for more time for him to settle the Rs. 100 million it ordered him to pay as compensation for victims of the Easter Sunday attack. Mr. Jayawardena, who appeared for victims of the attack, asked how a president could amass so much wealth while holding the presidency. Stating that the revelation shows corruption, he asked the court on behalf of the victims to order an investigation.
Lawyers for former Defence Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former Chief of National Intelligence Sisira Mendis, meanwhile, informed the court that their clients have fully settled the compensation amounts they had been ordered to pay the victims. Mr. Fernando had been ordered to pay Rs. 50 million, while Mr. Mendis had been ordered to pay Rs. 10 million. Accordingly, the court discharged them from the petition.
It was also revealed in court that former Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara had so far paid only Rs. 1.9 million of the Rs. 75 million that the Supreme Court had ruled he must pay victims of the attack. Then Director of the State Intelligence Service, Senior Deputy Inspector General Nilantha Jayawardena, meanwhile, had only settled Rs. 4.1 million of the Rs. 75 million he had been ordered to pay the victims.
The Court refused requests made by the respondents to give them more time to pay the compensation.
The Supreme Court ordered the respondents to fully settle the compensation payments by August 30. The Court also ordered the Attorney General to file contempt of court charges against Maithripala Sirisena, Pujith Jayasundara and Nilantha Jayawardena by September 20 if they failed to settle the compensation payments and acted in violation of the order.
Senior Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris told the Court that a committee headed by retired Judge Champa Janaki Rajaratne had been appointed to conduct a disciplinary inquiry into SDIG Jayawardena. He also told the Court that both the National Police Commission and the Inspector General were not giving the proper support to this committee to conduct its activities.
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Source-https://www.sundaytimes.lk/240721/news/sirisena-acquires-ten-state-properties-for-himself-under-swarnabhoomi-564778.html
Former President Maithripala Sirisena has acquired 10 state properties for himself using “Swarnabhoomi” title deeds awarded when he was President. This was revealed through the asset declaration submitted by the former President to the Supreme Court. Five of the ten properties acquired by Mr. Sirisena in this manner also have houses.
The matter was raised by Sanjeeva Jayawardena, PC, when the former President’s lawyers asked the Supreme Court for more time for him to settle the Rs. 100 million it ordered him to pay as compensation for victims of the Easter Sunday attack. Mr. Jayawardena, who appeared for victims of the attack, asked how a president could amass so much wealth while holding the presidency. Stating that the revelation shows corruption, he asked the court on behalf of the victims to order an investigation.
Lawyers for former Defence Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former Chief of National Intelligence Sisira Mendis, meanwhile, informed the court that their clients have fully settled the compensation amounts they had been ordered to pay the victims. Mr. Fernando had been ordered to pay Rs. 50 million, while Mr. Mendis had been ordered to pay Rs. 10 million. Accordingly, the court discharged them from the petition.
It was also revealed in court that former Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara had so far paid only Rs. 1.9 million of the Rs. 75 million that the Supreme Court had ruled he must pay victims of the attack. Then Director of the State Intelligence Service, Senior Deputy Inspector General Nilantha Jayawardena, meanwhile, had only settled Rs. 4.1 million of the Rs. 75 million he had been ordered to pay the victims.
The Court refused requests made by the respondents to give them more time to pay the compensation.
The Supreme Court ordered the respondents to fully settle the compensation payments by August 30. The Court also ordered the Attorney General to file contempt of court charges against Maithripala Sirisena, Pujith Jayasundara and Nilantha Jayawardena by September 20 if they failed to settle the compensation payments and acted in violation of the order.
Senior Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris told the Court that a committee headed by retired Judge Champa Janaki Rajaratne had been appointed to conduct a disciplinary inquiry into SDIG Jayawardena. He also told the Court that both the National Police Commission and the Inspector General were not giving the proper support to this committee to conduct its activities.
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Source-https://www.sundaytimes.lk/240721/news/sirisena-acquires-ten-state-properties-for-himself-under-swarnabhoomi-564778.html
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