Wasantha Karannagoda granted bail

By Bhagya Silva

Colombo, July 03 (Daily Mirror) - Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama today ordered the release on bail of former Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Kumara Jayadeva Karannagoda, who is accused of committing acts of corruption in connection with the recruitment of Yoshitha Rajapaksa to the Executive Branch of the Sri Lanka Navy in 2006.

The prosecution alleges that Yoshitha Rajapaksa, who had not fulfilled the prescribed recruitment qualifications, was nevertheless enlisted as an Executive Branch Midshipman and, contrary to the established recruitment procedure, was sent to undergo training at the Britannia Royal Naval College in the United Kingdom at State expense.

The Magistrate ordered that Karannagoda be released on two sureties of Rs. 2.5 million each and imposed a foreign travel ban.

Delivering the order, the Magistrate observed that the mere fact that investigations are still ongoing is not, by itself, sufficient to justify remanding a suspect. The court further noted that there was no material to suggest that the suspect had attempted to influence witnesses or interfere with the investigation, and that the prosecution had failed to disclose sufficient grounds warranting his continued remand.

The first suspect in the case, Yoshitha Rajapaksa, was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption on June 17, 2026, in connection with the same investigation into his recruitment to the Sri Lanka Navy and overseas training. He was taken into custody when he appeared before the Commission to provide a statement and was subsequently produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court.

The Magistrate ordered that Yoshitha Rajapaksa be released on three personal bails of Rs. 5 million each, imposed a foreign travel ban on him and directed him to surrender his passport to court.