Parliamentarian Muzamil makes bribery charges against Sarath Fonseka

National Freedom Front (NFF) MP, Mohamad Muzamil made formal charges of bribery against Presidential candidate General (retd.) Sarath Fonseka, through his lawyers at the Bribery Commission yesterday (January 17).

Muzamil had alleged last week that the opposition candidate had offered him money to garner his support at the Presidential Elections scheduled for January 26. Muzamil also gave a statement in this regard to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today (January 18).

NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa, MP, said he had both photographic and audio evidence to implicate UNP National List and Muslim presidential candidate, MP Myown Mustapha, and Presidential Advisor Nazeer Ahmed in the attempt to bribe NFF MP Muzamil.

Mustapha quit the presidential race last Friday (Jan 15) to throw his weight behind candidate Sarath Fonseka.

At a press conference called by the NFF yesterday, Weerawansa produced a CD which contained conversations involving Mustapha, Muzamil and two others, including a UNP MP. Releasing copies of the CD to print and electronic media at yesterday’s briefing, Weerawansa said this was only a fraction of what Muzamil had recorded over the past several days. He said their lawyers had advised them not to release all evidence as it could be detrimental to legal proceedings.

"We’ll produce everything, including wads and wads of money received by Muzamil from Mustapha, before the Bribery Commission," Weerawansa said.

He pointed out that his colleague had taken a huge personal risk by exposing a clandestine operation targeting government MPs ahead of the presidential polls. "What he did was amazing. He had obtained irrefutable evidence to prove a conspiracy to bribe MPs," he said.

Weerawansa said there was nothing wrong in lawmakers joining another party over serious differences of opinion but it would be nothing but a crime to offer money or any other inducements to change sides. He emphasised that Muzamil exposed the Opposition operation for the sake of the country.

Political analysts called for probe on the bribery allegation. “The knee-jerk reaction of the UNP has been to deny the charge. Mere denials won’t do,” The Island editorial said today. “It has no alternative but to fully co-operate with the investigators and try to clear its name, because NFF has successfully rammed the main pillar of Fonseka’s platform - his campaign to rid the country of bribery and corruption. The matter is now before the people’s court and the credibility of the Fonseka camp has suffered a devastating blow in the eyes of the discerning public.”

- Asian Tribune -