The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday (1) deferred its order on the bail application of Sugeeshwara Bandara, the former private secretary to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, until July 8 and ordered that he remain in remand custody until then.
Bandara was arrested on suspicion of drawing two salaries under the Presidential expenditure head.
When the case was taken up, officers of the Central Crimes Investigation Division informed the court that they had recorded a statement from former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as part of the investigation.
According to investigators, Rajapaksa had stated that he personally received the secretary’s allowance. They further told court that Sugeeshwara Bandara had been appointed as his private secretary following a request made by the former President, after which the Presidential Secretary instructed the Head of Finance at the Presidential Secretariat to make the relevant payments.
Investigators also said that during former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s administration, Sugeeshwara Bandara had been appointed Director General of the Presidential Secretariat’s Special Projects Division. Statements had been recorded from six officials attached to that division.
According to the investigators, three of those officials had stated that the division carried out no work, while two others claimed that it was used exclusively for political activities.
The court was also told that around 135 people had been recruited to the Special Projects Division, most of them on a temporary basis, and that more than Rs. 220 million had been spent on recruitment, vehicles, fuel and other expenses. Investigators said they were probing the alleged misuse of more than Rs. 220 million in state funds and argued that releasing the suspect on bail at this stage could hamper the ongoing investigation.
Appearing for Sugeeshwara Bandara, President’s Counsel Nalinda Indatissa argued that former President Rajapaksa’s statement clearly showed that his client had not received two salaries as alleged.
He further submitted that although the complaint accused Sugeeshwara Bandara of drawing two salaries under the Presidential expenditure head, investigators had failed to produce any evidence to support that allegation. Counsel also argued that the suspect was arrested without a proper investigation, noting that the complaint had been received on June 12, a report was filed on June 16, and Sugeeshwara Bandara was arrested on June 18.
Indatissa also maintained that while his client served as Director General of the Special Projects Division, decisions relating to recruitment, vehicle allocations and administrative matters were made by the Presidential Secretary, not by Sugeeshwara Bandara.
After considering the submissions, Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena postponed the bail ruling until July 8 and ordered that the suspect remain in remand custody until that date.
