Sirisena Blocking Gota’s Arrest

An expected arrest of former defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa by the FCID on November 22 was postponed following a meeting between a group of Buddhist monks and the president at the latter’s Paget Road, Colombo residence on the previous day, ‘Ravaya’ reports.

The attorney general has given permission to the IGP to arrest the ex-defence secretary in connection with the misuse of Rs. 90 million of state money to renovate the tombstones of his parents. The sum had been obtained for a ‘Weeraketiya project’ from the Land Reclamation and Development Authority when it had been under the Defence Ministry, says the FCID.

An inspection of the scene found that state money had been used to give a face-lift to the tombstones and the surrounding area. After the FCID started the investigation, Rs. 25 million had been paid back to the state.