Chief Magistrate yet to receive acquittal order on Gota

The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today (20) stated that it has not yet received the order delivered by the Court of Appeal discharging the former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa from the Avant-Garde floating armoury case.

Further hearing of the case has accordingly been moved to 23rd of September.

The Court of Appeal on 12 September  directed the Colombo Magistrate’ Court to acquit all accused including former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa from the Avant-Garde case filed by the Bribery Commission.

The decision was announced by the judge bench comprising Justices Achala Wengappuli and Arjuna Obeysekara, after considering the appeal filed on behalf of the petitioner, Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The case filed by the Bribery Commission against Rajapaksa and seven others, alleging that they had incurred a loss of Rs 11.4 billion to the government by approving the maintenance of the floating armoury owned by Avant-Garde Maritime Services (Pvt) Limited, was taken up before the Colombo chief magistrate today.