A corruption case filed against Small and Medium Enterprises and Enterprise Development, Industry Minister Wimal Weerawansa was yesterday re-fixed for trial on November 26 by the Colombo High Court.
At a previous occasion, the case was fixed for trial on September 7.
When the case was yesterday taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Pradeep Hettiarachchi, Additional Solicitor General Ayesha Jinasena who is handling the case, appearing on behalf of the Bribery Commission sought court permission to postpone the trial commencing date as she had special duties.
Considering the facts, the Colombo High Court re-fixed the case for trial on November 26 and summons were issued on prosecution witnesses to appear before court on that date.
In this case, the Bribery Commission Director General had filed indictments against Wimal Weerawansa for the alleged unlawful acquisition of money and assets, estimated at Rs.75 million, within a period of six years, while serving as a Minister.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) Director General alleged that the Minister had committed this offence by way of undeclared assets between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2014.
The indictments were filed under 39 incidents based on monetary and property transactions estimated at Rs.75 million.
The Director General alleged that the Minister had unlawfully made 26 monetary transactions, constructed a house, and purchased lands and vehicles in contravention of Section 23(a) of the Bribery Act.
The Bribery Commission’s Director General further alleged that Minister Weerawansa had owned these properties deemed under the provision of the Act to be property acquired through bribery.
Additional Solicitor General Ayesha Jinasena appeared for the Bribery Commission and President Counsel Jayantha Weerasinghe appeared for the defence.
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