The Attorney General yesterday raised objection against the revision application filed in the Court of Appeal by former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa challenging a Trial-at-Bar order dated January 11, 2019, in the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum case.
Senior Deputy Solicitor General Milinda Gunatilleka appearing for the Attorney General stated that appeals relating to the orders issued by a Trial-at-Bar bench should be referred to the Supreme Court instead of being filed before the Court of Appeal.
He contended that the Court of Appeal has no jurisdiction to hear this revision application in accordance with statutory provisions. He further said the petitioner Rajapaksa has already filed a revision application in the Supreme Court and the revision application filed in the Court of Appeal would not be meaningful.
When the revision application came up before Court of Appeal bench comprising Justice Achala Wengappuli and Justice Arjuna Obeysekera, further inquiry was fixed for today (07).
On February 11, the Permanent High Court-at-Bar decided to overrule preliminary objections raised by Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and six others in connection with the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum case stating that the Permanent High Court-at-Bar has jurisdiction to hear this case.
Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had filed a revision application in the Court of Appeal seeking an order to set aside this order issued by the Permanent High Court-at-Bar.
The Attorney General had filed indictments against seven accused, former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, members of the director board of the Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (LRDC) Chairman Prasad Harshan de Silva, Bhadra Udulawathi Kamaladasa, Sudammika Kheminda Artigala, Saman Kumara Abraham Galappatti, Devage Mahinda Saliya and Srimathi Mallika Kumari Senadheera under seven counts for allegedly misappropriating LRDC funds of Rs.33.9 million.
President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva with Counsel Sugath Caldera under the instructions of Counsel Sanath Wijewardane appeared for Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
Additional Solicitor General Priyantha Navana with Senior Deputy Solicitor General Milinda Gunatilleke appeared for the Attorney General.
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