Former Defense Secretary Gotabhya Rajapaksa who arrived before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Allegations of Fraud, Corruption, Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges today said ministers Rajitha Senaratne and Champika Ranawaka were incapable of work and were liars.

“I know them. They are not capable of any work,” the former Defense Secretary said. “They just talk rot – they are liars,” he charged further.

He was responding to a questioned posed by a journalist who asked him what he had to say about Minister Rajitha Seneratne’s accusation the day before that SriLankan Airlines had made losses by hiring 1, 300 people on the directives of the former Defense Secretary.

“I have given no one letters,” the former Defense Secretary said. “I was not a Minister to give appointment letters. Ask Rajitha and Champika about the letters they have given,” he said. “They just talk rot and nonsense, they are liars,” he said.

Former Defense Secretary Gotabhya Rajapaksa was at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Allegations of Fraud, Corruption, Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges to make a statement relating to his involvement of the dismantling of the Kankasanthurai Cement Factory and selling its machinery off as scrap.

“You have to look at it this way, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said. “I was the Defense Secretary. I am being called before the Presidential Commission on Inquiry. I am being called before the CID. I am being called before the FCID. Wartime Naval Chiefs have been called before the Commission. Air Force Chiefs have been called before the Commission; Army Chiefs have called before the various commissions. The National Intelligence Chief has been called before the commissions. We have to ask ourselves why they keep hauling the wartime chiefs before these commissions. Is it on behalf of the diaspora? Or to keep Geneva happy?,” The Defense Secretary asked.

“That is my suspicion,” he said.