Former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa today (2 October) withdrew the revision petition he had filed before the Colombo High Court seeking release on bail.
Rajapaksa had filed the petition after being remanded by order of the Colombo Magistrate’s Court under the Public Property Act, following a directive by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC). He sought bail on the grounds that his detention was unjustified.
The matter was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Manjula Thilakaratne today. Appearing on behalf of Rajapaksa, President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis informed court that his client had instructed him to withdraw the petition. Accordingly, the defence requested court’s permission to withdraw the application.
Granting the request, the High Court allowed the withdrawal and ordered the petition to be dismissed.
Shasheendra Rajapaksa has been remanded over allegations that, during the aftermath of the 9 May 2022 unrest, he had used his official influence to pressure government officials into granting Rs. 8.85 million in compensation for a building illegally constructed on Mahaweli Authority land in Sevanagala, Kiriibbanwewa. The building and related property had been damaged during the protests, and compensation claims had initially been rejected. CIABOC alleged that Rajapaksa exerted undue influence to secure payment, thereby committing corruption and misappropriation of public property.
