Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court rejects CIABOC’s request to re-remand Chamara Sampath

Saturday, 17 May 2025 01:09 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday rejected the request made by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) to revoke the bail granted to Badulla District MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake and to remand him again over alleged financial misconduct during his tenure as Chief Minister of Uva Provincial Council in 2016.

After hearing submissions from both parties Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali decided to reject the request made by the CIABOC.

In a motion filed before the Court, the Commission charged that the suspect, through his wife, had interfered with the ongoing investigations by requesting former President Ranil Wickremesinghe to hold a press conference.

The Bribery Commission claimed that at this press conference, the former President is said to have made false statements regarding the incident, effectively vindicating the suspect’s conduct.

On 28 April, addressing a special media briefing, Wickremesinghe claimed that a 2015 circular issued during his tenure as Prime Minister permitted Provincial Councils to withdraw fixed deposit funds before maturity, a defence cited concerning former State Minister Dassanayake’s case.

However, the Bribery Commission clarified that the circular was only issued on 22 November 2016, while Dassanayake had made the withdrawal on 29 February 2016.

However, President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa, appearing for the defendant, denied the allegations levelled against his client and stated that there is no evidence to support the claim that the suspect interfered with any witness.

The Bribery Commission also acknowledged that the Wickremesinghe, who is now the leader of New Democratic Front (NDF) was not a witness in this case. Dassanayake, a member of the NDF, was arrested on 27 March over three separate cases of alleged corruption. He remains in remand custody due to an order issued by the Badulla Magistrate’s Court, despite having secured bail in cases filed at the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.

The charges against Dassanayake involve the misappropriation of Rs. 1 million from the Uva Provincial Council in 2016. CIABOC alleges that he solicited funds from three State banks under the pretext of procuring school bags for preschool children in the province. Two banks released Rs. 1 million and Rs. 2.5 million respectively, which were later transferred to his personal foundation account. When a third bank refused, Dassanayake is accused of retaliating by withdrawing the Uva Provincial Council’s fixed deposits from that institution, resulting in a reported loss of Rs. 17.3 million to the Government.

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