Statements made by Cabinet Spokesman Minister Vijitha Herath on the legal proceedings related to the controversial bond scam are inaccurate, the former President’s Media Director General Dhanushka Ramanayake has said.
Minister Herath on October 1, in his first address to the media noted that legal proceedings on the controversial Central Bank bond transaction were not advanced due to presidential immunity the former President Ranil Wickremesinghe was entitled to.
Issuing a statement, Ramanayake said that these statements made by the Minister are erroneous, adding that the statement must be clarified to avoid misleading the public.
During the time of the controversial incident, then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed a Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises to examine the facts on the bond transaction, which subsequently investigated the bond issuance carried out on February 27, 2015, the statement said.
Following this, a Presidential Commission of Inquiry, consisting of two current Supreme Court judges and a retired Deputy Auditor General, conducted an investigation, where many, including then-Prime Minister Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, testified.
It is important to highlight that although some investigations were conducted regarding secondary market transactions, the Central Bank retained Rs. 12 billion from the company, confirming that no financial loss was made to the Sri Lankan government.
The Commission itself exonerated former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, confirming his non-involvement, Ramanayake said.
However, the Attorney General filed indictments against 10 individuals concerning the matter and the case was heard before a permanent three-member High Court comprising judges Chamath Morais (Chairman), Damith Thotawatte, and Namal Bandara Ballala. Ultimately, the three-member bench acquitted all defendants, the statement detailed.
The Attorney General filed an appeal with the Court of Appeal, which was rejected after due consideration.
Subsequently, an appeal was submitted to the Supreme Court, where it is currently pending and scheduled for review in January 2025, Ramanayake said.
In the original indictment filed by the Attorney General, 59 witnesses were listed to provide evidence against the defendants.
However, President Ranil Wickremesinghe is neither a witness nor a defendant in this case, Ramanayake stressed.
As such there was no necessity for former President Ranil Wickremesinghe to seek any form of immunity, Ramanayake said, adding that the former President has never sought any immunity, as alleged by Minister Herath.
As the judiciary’s independence is now well established, there is no barrier to justice prevailing in any incident, he added.
Ramanayake said, that presented with the above circumstances, Herath as a responsible Minister and Cabinet Spokesman, making inaccurate statements knowingly or unknowingly is highly inappropriate. (Newswire)