Immigration reports indicate that Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe was also in Dubai when Charith and Rakitha went to collect bribes.

The bail applications of three suspects, lawyers Rakitha Rajapaksa, Charith Abeysinghe, and Aruna Sri Chathuranga, who were arrested in connection with allegedly receiving a massive bribe of twelve crore rupees from the wife of the notorious organized crime figure Harak Kata, also known as Nadun Chinthaka, have been rejected by the Colombo Magistrate's Court. Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S.

Bodaragama ordered that these three suspects be further remanded until the upcoming 17th. The Chief Magistrate issued this order after considering the extensive submissions made by the Deputy Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, who appeared on behalf of the Commission, and the lawyers who appeared on behalf of the suspects.

A most notable point in this trial was a special revelation made by the Bribery Commission before the court regarding former Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe's visit to Dubai and his connection to this incident. Assistant Legal Director Anusha Sambandapperuma, appearing for the Bribery Commission, informed the court that the three suspects had left the country on March 25, 2023, for Dubai with the intention of obtaining bribe money from Maheshi Maduwanthi, the wife of Harak Kata. They stayed there and returned to Sri Lanka on March 29, 2023. It has been confirmed through immigration information that during this specific period, Mr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, the father of the second suspect Rakitha Rajapakshe, was also in Dubai. Investigations have revealed that Mr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe left the country on March 21, 2023, and stayed in Dubai until March 28, 2023.

For this very reason, the Bribery Commission has launched a comprehensive investigation into why former Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe visited Dubai during that period and who he met there. The Bribery Commission also emphasized before the court that special investigations are underway to ascertain whether Mr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe was involved in this large-scale bribery crime in any way, or whether he took any action or intervened in this regard. Due to the overlap between the period the suspects stayed in Dubai and the time Mr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe spent there, uncovering the true situation behind this and the transactions that occurred between them has become a primary objective for the investigating officers.

Another key factor linking Mr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe's name to this case is the location where the bribe money was exchanged. The Bribery Commission informed the court that these suspects had returned two crore rupees to the wife of the suspect known as Harak Kata. This money was handed over through Lasantha Manjula de Silva, also known as Midigama Lasa, a friend of Herbie, or Nirmal Bandara. This money transaction took place at a location on Wijayaba Mawatha, Nawala Road, Nugegoda, and further investigations have revealed that the house and premises where the transaction occurred belong to Mr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe. The Bribery Commission is also paying close attention to the fact that such a money exchange took place at this location, which is the home of the second suspect Rakitha Rajapakshe's father.

The Bribery Commission also presented facts to the court regarding how these suspects brought the total bribe money into the country. According to preliminary investigations, this enormous sum of money was brought into the country through the illegal 'Undiyal' system. The mobile phones seized from the suspects by investigating officers are currently being examined, and technical investigations are underway regarding WhatsApp messages, calls, and other phone communications made through them. In addition, the Bribery Commission is preparing to conduct separate investigations into the assets and activities of these suspects under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. It was also revealed that investigations are ongoing into how certain officers of the Criminal Investigation Department acted while the suspect known as Harak Kata was in their custody after being brought to Sri Lanka from Madagascar.

The Bribery Commission also presented to the court reports published on a webpage concerning this incident and a series of related events. The house of the person who published those reports, Anup Eranjith Rajapaksa, was searched by the Terrorist Investigation Division, and he was arrested. Subsequently, he was charged with possessing a hard drive containing obscene material and intimidating state officials, and was later released. It was also revealed that this individual has now filed a fundamental rights petition and a claim for compensation before the court for the injustice he suffered.

President's Counsel Anil Silva, appearing for the defense, made a special statement regarding the current political status of Mr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, the father of the second suspect Rakitha Rajapakshe. He stated that although the suspect's father is a well-known politician, he currently holds no political power. Therefore, the President's Counsel argued that the suspect has no ability to influence any person or witness through his father. He requested bail under any strict conditions, stating that even if released on bail, the suspect would not flee the country, would not influence evidence, and would not obstruct investigations into the remaining technical evidence.

Additionally, the defense lawyers argued that the certificate submitted by the Director General of the Bribery Commission under Section 149 of the Anti-Corruption Act is not legal. Lawyers appearing for Mr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe's son, as well as lawyer Ashoka Weerasooriya, appearing for the first suspect Charith Abeysinghe, stated that since the alleged offense occurred approximately three years before the new Anti-Corruption Act came into effect, the Commission has no authority to issue such a certificate. The defense also stated that the suspects were remanded solely based on statements from powerful criminals like Harak Kata and Midigama Ruwan, and that the suspect has triplets and his vehicle payments are on a lease scheme, thus his livelihood has been disrupted. Lawyer Geeth Karunaratne, appearing for the third suspect, also stated that bail should be granted as there is even a threat to the suspects' lives within the prison.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama, after extensively considering the submissions from all parties, rejected the legal arguments put forth by the defense. The Magistrate emphasized that the court has already ruled on the validity of the Bribery Commission's certificate, and the refusal to grant bail to the suspects is not because the court lacks authority due to the certificate, but because the defense failed to establish any special circumstances before the court sufficient to release them. The Magistrate, while noting that the court would not remand the suspects until the end of the trial as requested by the Commission, and that bail applications could be submitted in writing if special circumstances arise in the future, ordered the three suspects to be further remanded until the 17th of next month.