Basil provided money for Malwana house- Witness | Page 9 | Daily News

Basil provided money for Malwana house- Witness

When the case under the Money Laundering Act regarding the alleged misuse of State funds to purchase a 6 acre plot of land in Malwana, Dompe bordering the Kelani Ganga and building a luxury house and a swimming pool and maintaining a farm there, was taken up for hearing last week, witness Architect Muditha Upali Jayakody made a special revelation.

When Deputy Solicitor General Thusith Mudalige inquired as to what percentage of the house had been completed by November 2014 and the expenditure involved, the witness said about 80 percent of the work had been completed.

Expenditure was about Rs 100 to 110 million for which Basil Rajapaksa provided the money.

The Attorney General has filed this case in the Gampaha High Court against former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Thiru Nadesan and the two respondents Basil and Nadesan were also present on the occasion.

Deputy Solicitor General Thusith Mudalige led evidence and it was said the total value of the property including the land in extent of 16 acres 1 rood and 8 perches the residence as well as the swimming pool according to the government valuer was Rs 208 million.

At the outset the Deputy Solicitor General cross examined witness Architect Muditha Upali Jayakody and here are the questions and the answers given by him.

Deputy Solicitor General – When was the foundation stone laid for the residence in the Malwana property relating to this case?

Witness - Muditha Upali Jayakody - 10th February 2013.

Deputy Solicitor General – Did the wife of the first respondent Basil Rajapaksa attend the foundation laying ceremony?

Witness – Yes, Mrs Pushpa Rajapaksa was present on the occasion.

Deputy Solicitor General – If photographs of the land and house relating to the case are shown to you, can you identify them ? (He then shows an album containing 17 photographs)

Witness – I can identify them. He identifies the photographs in a sequence as the entrance gate to the Malwana property, photographs of the house taken from different angles, the room used as the gym, swimming pool and the cattle bred in the property.

Question:- What was the contribution made to get an electricity connection to the Malwana property ?

Witness: - I handed over a photostat copy of the deed relating to the contractor Upali Kumara Ramawickrema. It was the contractor who filled in the forms to obtain the electricity connection as the applicant.

Deputy Solicitor General – Do you know Astrologist Sumanadasa Abeygunawardena, have you met him?.

Witness – Yes I know him. I have met him when a house was built on a land in Matara, the foundation stone was laid to the office building of the Gampaha D A Rajapaksa foundation and on the day the foundation stone was laid to the house in the Malwana land.

Question – Who was involved in drawing the plan for the house built on the Malwana property.

Witness – I drew the plan

Question – Did you get the plan approved by the Urban Council or the Pradeshiya Sabha.

Witness – I drew the plan and went to Basil’s office and handed it over to a person present in his office to get it approved by the Pradeshiya Sabha.

I did not know that person.

He later informed me by telephone that the Pradeshiya Sabha had approved the plan. I sent a worker to the Pradesheeya Sabha and got him to bring the approved plan.

Question – Was a contract given to build the house?.

Answer – Yes, a company was out entrusted to build the house, fix planks and gutters as well as to build the swimming pool. Although there was no separate room for workers and labourers some workers stayed over and engaged in work. Construction activities continued until mid 2015.

Deputy Solicitor General – What percentage of the house had been completed by November 2014. What was the expenditure involved?

Witness – About 80 percent of the work had been completed. Expenditure was about Rs 100 to 110 million. Basil Rajapaksa provided the money.

Question – Did Mr. Basil Rajapaksa’s wife accompany you to the building site of the house after its foundation stone was laid ?

Witness – Mrs Pushpa Rajapaksa did not go with me.

But I understand that Mrs Pushpa Rajapaksa had visited the building site about twice and given instructions to the contractors.

 

 


There is 1 Comment

Add new comment