Gota’s case: Special HC to announce decision on jurisdiction

The decision of the Permanent High Court-at-Bar on whether it has jurisdiction to hear the case against former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and six others over the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum will be announced on February 11.

Last week, the former Defence Secretary had raised preliminary objections through his counsel that the Colombo Permanent High Court-at-Bar does not have jurisdiction to hear the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum case.
He argued that the High Court-at-Bar had no jurisdiction to hear this case since it was not a case filed under the provisions of Judicature Act.

The case filed against Rajapaksa and six others was fixed for today (31) by the Colombo Permanent High Court-at-Bar.

The case was filed alleging that the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum and Memorial in Medamulana was built using public funds amounting to Rs 33.9 million.

Indictments were filed against seven accused including the former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, members of the director board of Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (LRDC) Chairman Prasad Harshan de Silva, Bhadra Udulawathi Kamaladasa, Sudammika Keminda Artigala, Saman Kumara Abraham Galappatti, Devage Mahinda Saliya and Srimathi Mallika Kumari Senadheera under seven counts for allegedly misappropriating LRDC funds.