he decision on whether to release Basil Rajapaksa and three others without calling for evidence from the defence, as a request by defence counsel in the misappropriation of public funds case will be delivered on the 30th of November, ruled Colombo High Court Judge R. Gurusinghe on Wednesday (25).

Deputy Solicitor General Thusith Mudalige appearing for the Attorney General filed submissions with the court, to announce the position of the Attorney General on the matter.

The Attorney General filed the case against Former Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa, Former Ministry Secretary Dr. Nihal Jayathilake, Former Director-General of the Divineguma Development Department Kithsiri Ranawaka, and the Former Deputy Director-General of the Divineguma Development Department Bandula Thilakasiri for committing offenses punishable under the public property act under 05 separate indictments for the criminal misappropriation of Rs. 2991 million from the Divineguma Development Department, for the distribution of steel roofing sheets to Divineguma beneficiaries during the run-up to the 2015 Presidential Election.

Defence Counsel filing submissions after the prosecution concluded the examination of evidence, requested the court to acquit and release the accused from the charges determining that the prosecution did not have sufficient evidence to prove the charges against their clients.