Basil was arrested on basis of statements by Muditha & Tissa (Photo)

- May 12, 2016

Former economic development minister Basil Rajapaksa, who had been arrested by the FCID and produced before the Matara magistrate’s court today (12), was arrested on the basis of the revelations made to the FCID by Dr. Tissa Galapatti and architect Muditha Jayakody. Basil and his wife, lawyer Pushpa Rajapaksa, had bought one acre of land with high commercial value at Browns Hill in Matara town near Nilwala River and facing the Indian ocean. They had made the purchase to the names of Pushpa’s younger sister Ayomi Galappatti, who holds Canadian dual citizenship, and her husband Dr. Tissa Galappatti.

Basil and Pushpa had decided to build a four-storey palace on this plot of land and handed over to architect Muditha the tasks of planning and making payments. The Matara municipal council has approved the building plan, but the FCID has now got the confirmation that the signatures of Ayomi and Tissa in the relevant application were different.

‘Uncle Ari’ gave money to buy the land

Tissa’s statement to the FCID said Basil’s distant relative ‘Uncle Ari’ had given a loan to buy the land. He said that ‘Uncle Ari’ had gone to Hong Kong and transferred the money from his bank account to Tissa’s bank account in Sri Lanka.

Further investigations by the FCID found that this ‘Uncle Ari’ is not a living person. He had been bed-ridden for nearly five years before his death, and an examination of his passport showed he had not left the country for at least six to seven years before his death. The FCID found that architect Muditha had obtained the money in cash from Basil and paid for the land in front of the lawyer who wrote the deed.

After Tissa and Muditha admitted this, they were produced beore the Matara magistrate and released on bail. Also, they have agreed to turn witnesses of the state. Tissa, also a dual citizen, has promised to court to be present for the hearings, and left for Canada.

SB promised to get bail for Basil

Rumours are spreading that social empowerment minister S.B. Dissanayake has given a promise that he would definitely get bail for Basil.

SB is reportedly going to take Basil to meet president Maithripala Sirisena once he returns from his overseas visit.

As a result of this meeting, the accusations leveled by the FCID against Basil could get pushed under the carpet, the sources say.

Confirming the accuracy of our sources, the Matara magistrate has granted bail for Basil.