Mahinda did not take bribes; he threatened Kapila and obtained the name - Saagara

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption yesterday  (19) revealed before the Colombo Magistrate's Court that the money received as bribes by former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena through the Airbus deal was given to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Civil Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne.
Although this was revealed based on legal evidence, due to political disadvantage, the 'Mahinda camp' refers to it as a statement taken by force.

Sagara Kariyawasam of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna says this.
"While Mr. Kapila Chandrasena was giving a statement, the process of taking his testimony was stopped for lunch.

At that time, the lawyer who was with him had left for lunch.

At that time, the suspect, Mr. Kapila Chandrasena, was taken before the Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, Mr. Ranga Dissanayake.

This suspect was taken to his room and threatened to include the names of the politicians he mentioned in the relevant statement.

In this regard, the name of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was declared to the court by officials of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.

In fact, at that time, President's Counsel Rienzie Arsecularatne, who appeared for this suspect, made submissions to the court.

It has been very clearly stated that this statement and names were obtained by taking the suspect to the Director General, who then threatened him, and based on that threat, his signature was forcibly obtained for a statement.

An affidavit regarding this was submitted to the Magistrate's Court today.

We see this matter as a complete misuse of the rule of law.

When Mr. Ranga Dissanayake was appointed to the position of Director General here, former JVP presidential candidate Mr. Nandana Gunathilake stated that Ranga Dissanayake was a person who worked for the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and not an independent person.

We saw that no legal action was taken against Mr. Nandana Gunathilake at that time. However, we also saw how Mr. Nandana Gunathilake mysteriously passed away.

If there are allegations against Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, those allegations should be presented properly.

"If they are trying to assassinate his character and wrongly punish him before the law by lying to witnesses, making death threats, and forcibly obtaining signatures from witnesses in this manner, it is a very wrong thing."