Former Chief Minister Shan Wijayalal de Silva granted bail

By Bhagya Silva

Colombo, June 12 (Daily Mirror) - Former Southern Province Chief Minister and another suspect, who are accused of misusing public funds by distributing chairs to Southern Provincial Council members outside the government procurement process ahead of a Provincial Council election, were ordered to be released on bail by Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama.

The Magistrate granted each suspect bail on two sureties of Rs. 5 million and imposed a foreign travel ban on both suspects.

The Magistrate also prohibited the two suspects from entering the Southern Province Development Authority and the Southern Provincial Council while on bail.

In addition, the court ordered that the first suspect connected to the incident be further remanded till June 26.

The order was issued after considering submissions made by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) when the case was taken up before the court today.

The CIABOC informed court that statements are yet to be recorded from several other individuals in connection with the ongoing investigation.