Former State Minister Nalaka Godahewa and two others were yesterday ordered to be acquitted and released from the case filed allegedly criminally misusing government funds of Rs. 5 million belonging to the Sri Lanka Exchange and Securities by giving to Tharunyata Hetak organization by the Colombo High Court.
Following a lengthy trial and after considering the evidence transpired during the trial Colombo High Court Judge Amal Ranaraja maintained that the prosecution was unable to prove the charges against the accused beyond reasonable doubts.
Accordingly, all three accused were ordered to be acquitted and released from the case without summoning the dock statements from the accused by the Colombo High Court.
Three accused had been indicted on three counts which come under Public Property Act. The Attorney General further alleged that the three accused had committed this offense between August 6 and August 18, 2013. The Attorney General maintained that three accused Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) former Chairman Nalaka Godahewa, SEC former Deputy Director General Dhammika Manjira Perera and Tharunyata Hetak Organisation sports director Ronnie Ibrahim had conspired to misappropriate Rs. 5 million of funds which were granted as a sponsor to the “Tharunyata Hetak Organisation” (A tomorrow for youth) by the SEC and the money in question had been transferred to a bank account belonging to Ceylon Premium Sports Limited to promote rugby in contrary to a decision of SEC.
The third accused Ronnie Ibrahim had been charged for aiding and abetting to commit this offence.
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