Colombo – Mahesh Gammanpila, the former Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, has been arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption in connection with a controversial transaction involving the importation of substandard organic fertilizer during the administration of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Gammanpila was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court and has been remanded in custody until May 5.
He is accused of issuing letters of credit in defiance of an official decision to suspend such issuances for the import of the particular fertilizer consignment. This action allegedly caused a financial loss of USD 6.9 million to the country.
At the time the fertilizer was imported, Mahindananda Aluthgamage was serving as the Minister of Agriculture, while Shashendra Rajapaksa held the position of State Minister.
