Avant Garde case: Gota, Senadipathi, 5 others granted bail

Former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Avant Garde Maritime Services Chairman Nissanka Senadipathi and five others were today granted bail by Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya in the case filed by the Bribery Commission on corruption charges.

They were each released on a cash bail of Rs.200, 000 with two sureties of Rs.10 million each. 

Two suspects including Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Avant Garde Director General, Retd. Major General Palitha Piyasiri Fernando were banned from travelling abroad.

The seven suspects including Mr. Rajapaksa and Mr. Senadipathi appeared in the Chief Magistrate’s Court on being noticed to do so.

The Bribery Commission said the suspects had committed an offence by permitting the Avant Garde Maritime Services to operate a floating armoury causing a Rs.11.4 billion financial loss to the government.

The remaining suspects are Sujatha Damayanthi, Palitha Piyasiri Fernando, Karunaratne Bandara Adhikari, Somathilaka Dissanayake, Jayanath Sirikumara Colambage and Jayantha Perera. (Shehan Chamika Silva)

Video by Chamilka and Courts Prasanna