26 April 2022 12:00 am Views - 124
The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court yesterday issued an order preventing former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal from leaving the country over alleged financial irregularities that took place while he was serving as Central Bank Governor in 2014.
Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage made this order pursuant to a request made by Ven. Thiniyawala Palitha Thera through a private plaint filed in terms of section 136(1)(a) of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act. The Fort Magistrate further issued notices ordering the former Central Bank Governor to appear in Court on June 7.
The petitioner alleged that the Sri Lankan government, when Ajith Nivard Cabraal was functioning as the Central Bank Governor in 2014 had paid US$ 6.5 million through the Central Bank to an American businessman named Imaad Shah Zuberi, who was a CIA mole, to buy influence and fix its image in the US. The petitioner further said US Court has held that out of the said money given to him on behalf of Sri Lankan taxpayers, US$ 5.6 million or 80% of it had been spent on himself and his wife. The petitioner said former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal has paid the sum of US$ 6.5 million without having prior approval from the parliament, Cabinet of Ministers in violation of Article 150 of the constitution.
President’s Counsel Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe appeared for the petitioner.
The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court had also issued an order preventing Cabraal from leaving the country over an incident where Cabraal has taken measures to pay a 500 million US dollar international sovereign bond.