Court orders release of Ranjan

By Nimanthi Ranasinghe 

Nugegoda Magistrate Mohamed Mihal yesterday ordered the release of former State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake on two sureties of Rs.500,000 each. 

He had been on remand for six weeks on the charges of exerting undue influence on three judges in implementing judicial powers in accordance with Clause (2) 111 of the Constitution.  The order was issued by the Magistrate’s Court on the grounds that the suspect was on remand for six weeks and facts presented with the complaint were insufficient regarding an imminent public agitation as a result of releasing the suspect on bail. 

However, the magistrate issued a travel ban on the suspect and ordered the court registrar to inform the controller of Immigration and Emigration about the matter. The court ordered to certify the residence of the suspect and that he should provide a statement as an additional bail condition as and when the Colombo Crime Division informed him.  Representing the Attorney General (AG), Senior Deputy Solicitor General Haripriya Jayasundara, Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, Senior Attorney Janaka Bandara, Colombo Crime Division OIC Chief Inspector Neville de Silva and Police Sergeant Mahinda (32302) presented an additional report to court. 

On behalf of the suspect, President’s Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran and Attorneys Gunaratne Wanninayake, Vidura Manchanayake, U. Premaratne and Asha Kahawatta explained matters to court.  Producing an additional report to court, Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris said he believed the Government Analyst report was received by court with regard to the voice recordings of the suspect, to which the court responded: “Certainly. 

According to the report, it has been mentioned that the voice recordings concerned had been proved as those of the suspect.”