Colombo Chief Magistrate Damith Thotawatte today acquitted Basil Rajapaksa, the Minister of Finance and Kithsiri Ranawaka, the former Director-General of the Divineguma Development Department from the lith case.
That is without calling the evidence of that defendant.
Announcing the verdict, Judge Damith Thotawatte stated that the evidence presented by the prosecution was not to prove the allegations but to dismiss them.
The case was filed by the Attorney General regarding the printing and distribution of 50 lakhs of ‘Awrudu Lith’ bearing the image of the previous Presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa at a cost of Rs. 24 million belonging to the Divi Neguma Development Department during the 2015 Presidential Election.