Gamini Senarath, two others granted bail

Wednesday, 22 November 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Colombo Fort Magistrate Court yesterday granted bail to former president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s top aide Gamini Senarath and two others, who had been remanded on charges of misappropriating state funds.

Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne released Senarath and the two others each on cash bail of Rs. 50,000 with two sureties of Rs. 1 million each.

The Magistrate also imposed an overseas travel ban on the three suspects.

The suspects were in remand custody till yesterday after they surrendered to the court through their lawyers on 13 November.

Gamini Senarath, former Executive Director of the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (SLIC) Piyadasa Kudabalage and Director General of the Samurdhi Development Department Neil Bandara Hapuhinna are accused of misusing government funds amounting to Rs. 4 billion.

The three accused are founding directors of Sino Lanka Hotels and Spa Ltd, which launched the Hyatt Regency project in Hambantota at a cost of Rs. 312.2 million without Cabinet approval.