Colombo Additional Magistrate Shanima Wijebandara yesterday re-fixed for July 9 the trial in relation to the corruption case against former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and seven others for allegedly incurring a loss of Rs.11.4 billion to the government by giving permission to the Avant-Garde Maritime Services (Pvt.) Limited to operate a floating armoury.
Eight were accused including former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, former Avant Garde Chairman Major Nissanka Senadhipathi, former Assistant Secretary of Defence Ministry Sujatha Damayanthi, former Navy Commanders Somatilleke Dissanayake, Jayanath Kolambage and Jayantha Perera, Major General Palitha Piyasiri Fernando (retd.) and Banda Adhikari were present in Court .
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption had filed the case against eight accused under Section 70 of the Bribery Act.
The Bribery Commission alleged that the accused had given permission to Avant-Garde Maritime Services (Pvt.) Limited to operate a floating armoury between August 7, 2012 and January 8, 2015.
The defendants are accused of causing a financial loss to the tune of 11.4 billion rupees to the Government by paving the way for the operation of a floating armoury by the Avant Garde Maritime Services.