Former Parliamentarian Duminda Silva assumed duties as the Chairman of the National Housing Development Authority today, Ada Newspaper reported.
Silva was appointed to the position by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in July 2021.
The former MP who was serving a death sentence was granted a presidential pardon on 24th June 2021.
The Colombo High Court imprisoned Silva for life in 2016, over the murder of former MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra.
Silva had filed an appeal at the Supreme Court against the decision of the Colombo High Court, but the Supreme Court upheld the verdict on murder conviction by the High Court.
The Presidential Commission which was appointed to investigate incidents of political victimisation had later recommended the release of Duminda Silva, following which he was released on a presidential pardon.
The decision to grant a presidential pardon to Duminda Silva was questioned by many, including the US Embassy in Colombo, the Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya party, BAR Association of Sri Lanka, and teh wife and daughter of late MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra. (NewsWire)