The Attorney General’s Department is reportedly considering two opinions regarding the filing of an indictment against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe for misappropriating Rs. 16.6 million in state funds during a visit to the United Kingdom.
It is reported that these opinions have been expressed on whether there is sufficient evidence to file a charge sheet against the former President or whether the evidence is insufficient based on the investigations of the Criminal Investigations Department in this matter.
It is also learned that Deputy Solicitor General Wasantha Perera, who was supervising the investigation on behalf of the Attorney General’s Department, has withdrawn from these responsibilities due to differences of opinion regarding the investigation.
Deputy Solicitor General Wasantha Perera, who was in charge of the investigation into former Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake in relation to that case, is of the opinion that the investigations have not revealed sufficient evidence to charge former President Ranil Wickremesinghe or any other person in this case.
The Deputy Solicitor General is said to have stated that there is no scope to charge Saman Ekanayake, who served as his secretary, with aiding and abetting the same crime in the absence of any evidence to substantiate the main criminal charge against the former President.
The Deputy Solicitor General has also submitted a six-page report to Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe stating why criminal charges cannot be filed against Wickremesinghe or any other person based on the available evidence and investigative extracts.
However, Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, the chief supervising officer of the investigation, has submitted a contrary opinion to the opinion of Deputy Solicitor General Perera. He has informed the Attorney General that criminal charges can be filed against Wickremesinghe based on the available evidence.