Chamara Gunasekera receives bribe of USD 250 mn over X-Press Pearl disaster - Wijeyadasa

Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapaksha dropping a bomb shell in Parliament regarding container ship MV X-Press Pearl and New Diamond today, revealed that a sum of US dollars 250 million has been credited to the bank account of one Chamara Gunasekera as a bribe to prevent the operator of the ship X-Press Pearl to prevent the Sri Lanka government from securing damages.

“I am revealing this on information I have received and cannot be responsible for these revelations. I do not know whether this information could be used as evidence. The Ministry of Defence and the police should conduct investigations in this regard,” the Minister said in response to a question raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa.

The Minister said a limitation procedure has been filed in the UK to limit the damages which the Sri Lankan government could claim. “The Government has already filed a case countering this move to get the limitation procedure case cancelled,” the Minister said.