Court rejects Bribery Commission’s request to re-remand of Chamara Sampath

Colombo, May 16 (Daily Mirror) - The Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court a short while ago rejected the request made by the Bribery Commission to cancel the bail granted to Badulla District Parliamentarian Chamara Sampath Dassanayake and to have him remanded again in connection with financial irregularities he allegedly committed during his tenure as a member of the Uva Provincial Council in 2016.

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

In a motion filed before the Court, the Bribery 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 said that at this press conference, the former President is said to have made false statements regarding the incident, effectively exonerating the suspect's conduct.

However, President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa, appearing for the defendant, denied the allegations leveled 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 former President was not a witness in this case.

On April 8, Chamara Sampath Dassanayak was released on bail regarding this incident.