Wimal pleads not guilty

Former Minister Wimal Weerawansa today informed Colombo High Court that he is not pleading guilty to the charges in a corruption case filed by the Bribery Commission.   The Director-General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption had filed indictments against Wimal Weerawansa for the alleged unlawful acquisition of money and assets, estimated at Rs.75 million within a period of six years while serving as a Minister, during the 2009-2015 period.   When the charges were read out to the former Minister, he was informed that he was not pleading guilty to the charges. Accordingly, High Court Judge Nawaratne Marasinghe fixed the case to be taken up as the calling date on June 28.   The Director-General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption alleged that the Minister had committed this offence by way of undeclared assets between January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2014. The indictments were filed under 39 incidents based on monitory and property transactions estimated at Rs.75 million.   The Director-General alleged that the former Minister had unlawfully made 26 monetary transactions, constructed a house and purchased lands and vehicles in contravention of section 23(a) of the Bribery Act. The Bribery Commission's Director-General further alleged that Minister Weerawansa had owned these properties-deemed under the provision of the Act to be property acquired through bribery.