A case filed against former Minister Kalutara District MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena for the alleged unlawful acquisition of assets estimated at Rs. 41.1 million, was yesterday fixed for trial by Colombo High Court.
The case will be taken up for trial on August 2 and 3.
Meanwhile, High Court Judge Sampath Wijeratne permitted the defence to inspect and access the computer evidence in the case.
President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa appearing for the former Minister complained that several banks have failed to produce computer evidence pertaining to financial transactions made by the accused and his wife.
Meanwhile, Senior State Counsel Sudarshana de Silva appearing for the Bribery Commission informed Court that the indictments against the accused did not get filed quickly and the accused had influenced the authorities not to file indictments until 2015 regarding an investigation launched by the Bribery Commission in 2005.
At an earlier occasion, High Court had overruled preliminary objections raised by former Minister against the Bribery Commission’s decision to amend the charges.
The Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption had filed an indictment in Colombo High Court on two counts against former Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena for the unlawful acquisition of assets estimated at Rs.41.1 million.
The Director General of the Bribery Commission alleged that the former Minister had committed this offence by way of undeclared assets in between 2004 to 2006.
The Director General alleged that the former minister had unlawfully made 66 monitory transactions, constructed a house and purchased a jeep in contravention of the section 23(a) of the Bribery Act. The Director General further alleged that former Minister Abeygunawardena had owned these properties.
President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa with counsel Niroshan Siriwardena appeared for the accused.