Dhanushka Ramanayake, Media Director General for former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, has refuted claims made by Cabinet Spokesman Minister Vijitha Herath regarding the ongoing legal proceedings related to the controversial Central Bank bond scam.

On October 1, Minister Herath suggested that the legal processes were stalled due to the presidential immunity afforded to Ranil Wickremesinghe. Dhanushka countered this assertion, clarifying that former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had actively facilitated investigations during the scandal, which began with the bond issuance on February 27, 2015.

He noted that a Parliamentary Committee and a subsequent Presidential Commission of Inquiry, comprising two current Supreme Court judges and a retired Deputy Auditor General, investigated the matter, ultimately exonerating Wickremesinghe of any wrongdoing.

Dhanushka emphasized that while the Attorney General indicted ten individuals in connection with the case, Ranil Wickremesinghe was neither a witness nor a defendant. Therefore, there was no basis for any claim of presidential immunity, as he has never sought such protection.

He criticized Herath’s statements as misleading and urged the Minister to correct the record to prevent public confusion. The case remains ongoing, with an appeal pending in the Supreme Court, set for review in January 2025.