| National Freedom Front (NFF) MP Mohamed Muzammil who is at the centre of a ‘money for cross over’ scandal is to lodge a complaint with the Commission Investigating Allegations of Bribery and Corruption against four persons including UNP Colombo district MP Ravi Karunanayaka and former MP M. M. Mustapha.
However, he is being counter sued by the two men he claims tried to bribe him into extending support to Opposition Presidential candidate Gen. Sarath Fonseka.
The drama began on Friday after journalists were invited to a news briefing at the office of the Opposition common candidate in Colombo and were witness to Mr. Muzzamil abruptly leaving the office saying he had been offered Rs. 30 million to extend support to Gen. Fonseka.
Mr. Muzammil came to the office together with former Deputy Minister M. M. Mustapha who is himself a candidate in the upcoming Presidential polls and went into the building but walked out a short while later alleging he had been offered a bribe.
He told the Sunday Times that he had met Mr.Mustapha in Parliament on January 5 and was told by Mr. Mustapha that he was planning to withdraw from the contest and extend his support to Gen. Fonseka and asked the NFF MP to do the same.
Mr. Mustapha and Mr. Karunanayaka both denied that there was any financial transaction between them and the NFF MP who is seen as a loyalist of the NFF leader MP Wimal Weerawansa.
Asked why he was delaying going to the Bribery Commission, Mr. Muzammil said he was having a discussion with his lawyers on how the issue should be handled. He added that he along with MP Weerawansa had decided to meet with Mr. Mustapha to expose the Opposition’s attempts to buy over MPs to get their support for Gen. Fonseka.MP Karunanayaka has sent a letter of demand for Rs. 1,000 million to MP Weerawansa and MP Muzammil and heads of the media institutions that published his name in connection with the bribery scandal.
He added that he too would be going to the Bribery Commission office in Colombo on Monday and would demand that the exact amount of Rs. 30 million that MP Muzammil claims was offered to him be shown.
US and Norway deny Fonseka-funding charge
The United States and Norway yesterday denied the allegations that they provided the money to the General Sarath Fonseka’s campaign team to buy over an opposition candidate.
Their denial came after NFF MP M. Muzammil and his party leader Wimal Weerawansa alleged that the money the opposition camp offered to Mr. Muzammil came from the United States and Norway.
“The accusation is untrue and totally unacceptable. Norway has never – and will never – interfere in an election in another country,” the Norwegian embassy said in a statement.
The US embassy also said it “strongly” rejected the charges. “The United States is neutral and we strongly condemn allegations that we are supporting one side over another,” the US statement said. |
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