By Bhagya Silva
Colombo, Oct. 24 (Daily Mirror) - A CIABOC Assistant Director of Legal told court that two witnesses who had earlier been reluctant to make statements due to fear had provided detailed statements after the suspects were remanded, along with several documents relating to the investigation.
Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama yesterday further remanded Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa and former Krrish Transworks director Janaki Siriwardena till November 6 in connection with the alleged Rs. 70 million bribery transaction in the Krrish deal.
When the case was taken up before the Colombo Chief Magistrate, the Magistrate delivered the order on the bail application filed on behalf of Namal Rajapaksa and rejected it, stating that there were no exceptional and acceptable grounds to grant bail.
The Magistrate observed that three certificates had been submitted under Section 149(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act against the suspect and rejected the defence submissions challenging the matters set out in those certificates. The court further held that the exceptional circumstances cited in support of the bail application were not acceptable at this stage.
Meanwhile, an Assistant Director of Legal at the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), informing court of the progress of the investigation, said several former employees of Krrish Transworks had provided statements in connection with the case.
She told court that some witnesses had previously been reluctant to make statements due to fear, but had subsequently given detailed statements to the Commission without hesitation after the suspects were remanded. She also said the witnesses had submitted several documents in support of their statements.
The Assistant Director further informed court that further investigations had revealed the involvement of another woman who had served as a director of Krrish Transworks (Pvt) Ltd at the time of the transaction. She said the woman had been named as the sixth suspect based on company records, and that the Director General of CIABOC had issued a certificate under Section 149 of the Anti-Corruption Act in relation to her.
She also told court that bank records had revealed that the alleged Rs. 70 million bribe had been paid in three instalments.
The Commission had recorded a statement from the Divisional Secretary of the Colombo 12 area, and further statements are to be obtained from the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, the Survey Department and HSBC Bank. The handwriting samples of the fourth suspect had also been referred for examination, she said.
Seeking a further remand order, the Assistant Director said investigations were still ongoing.
Questioning the progress of the investigation, President’s Counsel Ali Sabry, appearing for Namal Rajapaksa, asked when the investigation would be concluded, and questioning whether it would take another year.
“When are you going to finish the investigation after a year? Certificates under Section 149 are issued against some people, while others are not treated in the same way. You cannot do that. This is a political requirement,” he submitted.
After considering the submissions, the Chief Magistrate ordered that the suspects be further remanded till November 6.