Indictments served against Shasheendra Rajapaksa and two others

Indictments were served before the Colombo High Court against three defendants, including former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa, over alleged corruption-related offences.The indictments, filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), were taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Ravindra Premaratne, said Ada Derana reporter.The court ordered that each of the three defendants be released on two personal bails of Rs. 1 million each. The judge also imposed an overseas travel ban, preventing the defendants from leaving the country.In addition, the court directed that the fingerprints of the defendants be obtained and a report be submitted.The case was fixed for a pre-trial conference on August 5.Sepalika Saman Kumari and Keerthi Bandara Kotagama have also been named as defendants in the case.According to CIABOC, the defendants have been charged with committing and aiding and abetting acts of corruption by allegedly using official influence over certain officials attached to the Office for Reparations to secure compensation amounting to Rs. 8.85 million.The charges relate to compensation granted for a property, including an illegally constructed building, situated on land owned by the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority in Kiribbanwewa, Sevanagala, which was damaged during the unrest of May 9, 2022. The prosecution alleges that compensation was obtained despite an earlier decision rejecting the claim for the property.