Gotabhaya Rajapaksa summoned to make statement on ripping off of KKS Cement Factory machineries

Former Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was summoned before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on 10 July, to make a statement relating to an incident in 2012-2013, when parts of the Kankasanthurai cement factory machineries were sold as scrap metal.

It is alleged that parts of the Kankasanthurai cement factory were stripped and sold as scrap metal under the aegis of the Ministry of Defense, which came under the former Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

Gotabhaya Rajapaksa arrived before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to investigate serious acts of fraud, corruption and abuse of power, at the BMICH in Colombo.

Investigations were being carried out by the Presidential Commission investigating alleged acts of Fraud Corruption, Abuse of Power, State Resources and Priviledges (PRECIFAC) on a complaint that some machinery and other equipment belonging to the KKS cement factory had been removed by the army saying it was done under a tender procedure for scrap metal.

Mr. Rajapaksa was earlier questioned whether the defense ministry approval had been granted for the removal of these items from the cement factory as scrap metal.

Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa signed an affidavit before the PRECIFAC to give evidence against two former senior Army officers, including an Army Commander another Army officer and a former high ranking state official.

They are former Army Commander Lt.Gen. Daya Ratnayake, Maj. Gen.Udaya Perera, Maj. Gen.Hathurusinghe and former Additional Defence Secretary Siripala Hettiarachchi.

The PRECIFAC is conducting investigations into an alleged multi million rupee mass scale fraud involving the cutting and removal of iron from the Kankesanthurai Cement factory situated in the High Security Zone during the Rajapaksa Regime.

The above mentioned former army officers and the state official have been named as respondents in this case.

In the meantime Siripala Hettiarachchi earlier in a statement to the commission had said that he made a written note sanctioning the removal of the stock of iron from the cement factory following specific instructions given by Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

However, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had told the media outside the PRECIFAC that he hadn’t amassed property during his tenure as the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence. Rajapaksa said that he hadn’t even bought a coconut estate during the previous administration whereas there were many who accumulated wealth. Rajapaksa called for a thorough investigation into those who had amassed wealth through devious means.

- Asian Tribune -