SLPP National Organiser and MP Namal Rajapaksa has hit back with humour after Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa suggested he should be attending court on hearing days rather than touring the country politically.
Asked by reporters about Rajapaksa’s heavy campaign schedule despite a pending criminal trial, Jayatissa said: “It’s fine. On days when there are court cases, he should attend court. On the other days, he can go around like that.”
Rajapaksa responded by publicly thanking the minister for the “reminder,” telling reporters his next hearing was on the seventh of next month and that he had already noted the date in his book. “I have written about my court date in my book. I will remember that Hon. Minister Nalinda Jayatissa reminded me of the court date,” he said.
The seventh refers to July 7, when the Colombo High Court is scheduled to begin the trial against Rajapaksa over an alleged Rs. 70 million payment from India-based Krrish company that the Attorney General says was misused under cover of a rugby promotion scheme. Rajapaksa, who has consistently denied wrongdoing, asked Jayatissa to remind him again closer to the date and invited all 159 government MPs to attend the proceedings.
“I also invite him, and all 159 people, to come to court on that day and pay attention to the examination of evidence, rather than reading things here and there. Then they themselves can know how their police behaved,” Rajapaksa said.
The exchange comes as Rajapaksa keeps a heavy political schedule despite a widening accountability docket involving his father Mahinda and brother Basil.
Source: Newswire, June 16
