Former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa released his ‘diary’ for this week on his Facebook page yesterday, with an apparently sarcastic comment on his schedule which is now being determined by others.

Accordingly, he is due to appear at the Bribery Commission on Monday, police Financial Crimes Investigations Division on Tuesday, CID on Wednesday and again at the Bribery Commission on Thursday.

He commented on the Facebook page that he has been summoned these institutions “in recognition of my dedicated and honest hard work done with commitment.”

Rajapaksa was earlier summoned to the Bribery Commission on April 23 over the cases regarding Avant-Garde Security Services and Rakna Lanka Araksha Limited. A protest was held in support of Rajapaksa near the Bribery Commission on the same date.

Addressing his supporters, Rajapaksa claimed he had done his job as a government servant. He also said that no government servant will perform their work with full commitment if they are harassed in this manner.

Meanwhile, CID and FCID are conducting separate investigations on Rajapaksa for alleged financial fraud.

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that President Maithripala Sirisena indicated that the parliament could be dissolved before end of May.

Several discussions among the party leaders are to take place on the electoral reforms on Sunday and Monday. On Monday, all party leaders will hold a meeting with President Sirisena. If the party leaders are able to agree on electoral reforms, it will be presented to the Cabinet on May 13, the president told JVP during a discussion, Dissanayake told media on Sunday.

If an agreement cannot be reached, the parliament will be dissolved, President Sirisena has also informed the JVP during the discussion.

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera recently said that the new electoral system will be introduced to the parliament on May 19 when it reconvenes and it will be passed as soon as possible. Afterwards the parliament would be dissolved, he said.

Meanwhile, Dissanayake told media this morning that the president was also in the opinion that the forthcoming general election should be conducted under the present system.

The election cannot be postponed, Dissanayake also said. Although former president Mahinda Rajapaksa was defeated, his supporters were not, he pointed out. Dissanayake further alleged that they are trying to take the country towards anarchy by creating disturbances in the parliament. An election is needed to reduce their power, he argued.

UPFA MP and Former Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa was further remanded till May 20 by the Kaduwela Magistrate Courts a short while ago.

Rajapaksa was arrested on April 22 by police Financial Crimes Investigations Division in connection with financial fraud in the Divi Naguma Department. Former Secretary to the Economic Development Ministry Dr. Nihal Jayathilake and former Director General of Divi Naguma Project R.A.A.K. Ranawaka were also arrested on the same day.

They were produced before the Magistrate after their arrest and were charged under the Offenses Against Public Property Act. The main charge against them is the misappropriation of funds amounting to Rs 70 million in the Divi Naguma Fund. The Magistrate remanded them till May 5, and on that day, further remanded them till May 7.

Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa left the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, around half an hour after his arrival this morning.

He left the premises after thanking his supporters who had launched a protest outside the commission against the summons given him.

The protest concluded after Rajapaksa left the commission.

He was summoned to record a statement on the investigations on Avant-Garde Securities and Rakna Araksha Lanka.

Directir General of Bribery Commission Dilrikshi Dias Wickramasnghe said the Commission had initiated action on 948 of 1600 files received by the Bribery Commission which were stranded at the time of her appointment.

Wickramasinghe, who was previously the Additional Solicitor General, was appointed  to the Commission by Presidnet Maithripala Sirisena to expedite investigations.

The new Director General vowed to take stern action against officers of the bribery commission who are proven of misconduct.

However, Bribery Commission Jagath Balapatabendi himself is at the receiving end ofa serious allegation with several newspaper reports alleging that Bribery Commission chief Jagath Balapatabendi received a vehicle which was released through a judgment in a bench he presided over.

They also revealed that the former Supreme Court judge had been presented with a car (KG-9321) by a person by the name of Harsha Prabath an unscrupulous vehicle trader who was under the watch by the customs for years for defrauding the customs.

“It is our ardent deity to create a situation of zero tolerance on bribery or corruption in the country,” Wickramasinghe said today.

She also added that her first stepwas  to clean the commission, asked public to inform complaints about officers of the commission. However, no action has so far been taken against the Chairman who still holds office as the Head of the Bribery Commission of Sri Lanka. 

The External Affairs Ministry has recalled 23 non head of mission level diplomats attached to Sri Lankan diplomatic missions overseas.

All of them were appointed by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as political appointees.

The recalled non-head of mission level diplomats include Chamithri Rambukwella, the daughter of former Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, Yasara Abeynayake, the ex-girlfriend of the former president’s son Yoshitha Rajapaksa and Lakshman Hulugalle, former Director General of Media Centre for National Security.

In addition to that, three non-career Consul General officers have also been recalled by the External Affairs Ministry.

 The full list of diplomats who have been recalled are as follows

It has now come to the limelight that former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has been approached by non-SLFP parties of the UPFA to enter active politics as a front-face of the movement supporting former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

 The non-SLFP coalition partners of the UPFA who support Rajapaksa include National Freedom Front led by Wimal Weerawansa, Democratic Left Front led by Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Mahajana Eksath Peramuna led by Dinesh Gunawardena and old Left parties led by DEW Gunasekera and Tissa Vitarana. In addition to that, Udaya Gammanpila, Leader of the newly formed Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, has also extended his support to the same initiative. They are planing to hold a public rally in Nugegoda, on February 18, to announce former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Ministerial Candidate of the "patriotic masses".

When contacted by Asian Mirror, a spokesman of the group said the former Defence Secretary has not given a “final word” on the matter. However, the former Defence Secretary is already under investigation due to his alleged involvements with “floating armories” functioning under private security firms.

Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said in May, last year, that he was willing to enter politics one day, at the discretion of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

Speaking to Wijeya group's latest publication, 'Deshaya' Sunday newspaper, the Defence Secretary said although he did not have personal interest in politics, he was ready to take up the challenge if and when the President wants him to do so. 

"However, I will not contest from Hambanthota. I will contest from Colombo," Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said. However, at that point, his brother, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa seemed invincible and the political situation in the country was totally in favour of the Rakapaksa family. 

He has made this move amidst speculations that the Navy may take measures to court martial the young Navy officer for engaging in political activities while serving in the military. All three sons of the former President played key roles in his presidential election campaign early this year, bypassing seniors of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

He also owns the Carlton Sports Network television channel - which previously had exclusive rights to telecast cricket matches in Sri Lanka, including the Cricket world Cup 2015. Rajapaksa was also a member of the Sri Lanka national Rugby team and the captain of the SL Navy Rugby team.

Asian Mirror is now in a position to reveal that over 120 computers that were found from the Temple Trees did not have hard drives. The computers were recovered from a special unit that was operating from Temple Trees aiming the presidential election, held last month.

There were about 160 computers in the entire unit and the large majority of them did not have hard drives. The unit was set up by former Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, who was also the Manager of former President Rajapaksa’s election campaign. 160 desktop computers — one for each electorate — were linked to field co-coordinators in the different electorates who provided data and information. The large majority who worked at the Temple Trees office were handpicked from the ‘Nil Balakaya”, which was set up by Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa.

Therefore, the office operating at the Temple Trees all the necessary data to conduct a comprehensive election campaign covering all parts of the country, except the Northern province. The 160 electorates were with the exception of those in the North. They also had an understanding of the opposition strongholds that they had to “neutralize”.

However, sources close to the former administration confirmed that the office was fully functional even during the Election Day. A top level spokesman from the present Prime Minister’s office told Asian Mirror that the hard drives had been removed in the wee hours of January 08 – soon before former President Rajapaksa’s exit from Temple Trees.

The ‘whereabouts’ of the hard drives, he said, is yet to be found out.

President Maithripala Sirisena, in his first independence day speech as the President of Sri Lanka, promised to remove excessive powers of the Executive Presidency.

We should not point fingers at each other for the setbacks we have suffered over the past 67 years. It is important to look into our own conduct and identify our mistakes