Namal, Janaki, and Chamara, denied bail, back inside

It was confirmed today (06) at the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court that several prominent figures in the political and business sectors would have to remain in remand custody due to numerous bribery and corruption charges. The legal proceedings involving Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa, former State Minister Chamara Sampath Dasanayake, and Janaki Siriwardhana, a former director of Krish Company, garnered special attention today.

The most notable event here was the appearance of Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa. He had been granted bail on the 3rd for an investigation conducted by the Bribery Commission regarding a transaction related to Krish Company. However, today too, he was brought to court under the custody of prison officials as usual, due to another serious case against him.

The reason for this is the incident filed under 24 indictments, including the receipt of a Rs. 100 million bribe related to the purchase of Airbus aircraft for SriLankan Airlines. The Permanent High Court at Bar in Colombo had ordered on the 28th that the MP be kept in prison and produced before the court on the 19th in connection with this Airbus case. Since he has not yet been granted bail for that case, he will have to remain in custody even after receiving bail in the Krish case.

When the Krish case was called today before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama, the Magistrate ordered that Janaki Siriwardhana, former director of Krish Company, who was in remand custody in connection with that transaction, be further remanded until the 20th. Furthermore, the Prison Superintendent was ordered to produce Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa in court on that day if he is still in prison.

Meanwhile, the case of Badulla District Member of Parliament and former Minister Chamara Sampath Dasanayake, who was arrested and remanded by the Bribery Commission, and his former secretary, was also called today before the Colombo Chief Magistrate. Following submissions made by the Bribery Commission to the court, the Magistrate ordered that both of them be further remanded until the 10th.

The Bribery Commission informed the court that this irregularity occurred during Chamara Sampath Dasanayake's tenure as State Minister of Primary Industries from September 08, 2022, to September 23, 2024. The relevant charge is related to soliciting and receiving a bribe of Rs. 8.4 million for granting licenses to three phosphate importing companies without following due process.