SJB: Who reduced fine on Raheem for smuggling?
Colombo Mayoral candidate and former SJB MP Mujibur Rahuman has called for an investigation to find out on whose instruction an original fine of Rs 22.2 million, imposed on MP Ali Sabry Raheem, found guilty of smuggling gold and mobile phones, was reduced to a fine of Rs 7.4 million.
“Ali Sabry Raheem had been voting with the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa combine from the time. He voted for the 20th Amendment to bring dual citizen
Basil Rajapaksa to Parliament. His fine should have been three times the value of the contraband, as per existing custom rules and regulations. The original number was 22.2 million rupees. But then it was announced that the MP was released on a fine of Rs 7.4 million. On whose instruction that reduction was given by the Customs officials? If not, the Custom officials should tell the country on what grounds that they had decreased the fine,” Rahuman said, adding that the fine was only a 10 percent of the value of the contraband found in the possession of MP Raheem.
Puttalam District MP Ali Sabri Raheem was nabbed by Customs officials at the BIA with 3.5 kilos of undeclared gold and stock of mobile phones and he was released, the following day, after being fined Rs 7.4 million.