Deputy Director of the Prison Hospital remanded

By Bhagya Silva  
The former Deputy Director of the Prison Hospital, Dr. Hemanta Ranasinghe, who was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption in connection with allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 300,000 to continue keeping a notorious drug trafficker, “Army Asanka,” as an in-patient at the Welikada Prison Hospital even after his treatment had concluded, was ordered to be remanded till August 19 by Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Ratnayake.  
Appearing on behalf of the Bribery Commission, Assistant Director Counsel Sulochana Hettiarachchi informed court that in 2024, an inmate serving a sentence at the Boossa Prison was transferred to the Welikada Prison Hospital due to illness. After receiving the necessary in-patient treatment, he was not sent back to Boossa Prison but was instead kept at the Welikada Prison Hospital for further treatment. It is alleged that the suspect demanded a bribe of Rs. 1.5 million from the inmate for this continued stay, of which Rs. 300,000 had been paid. 
The payment was allegedly made by a relative of the inmate, who deposited the money into the suspect’s bank account. She submitted that the offence of corruption had thus been committed and requested that the suspect be remanded as investigations were ongoing.  
Appearing for the suspect, defence counsel Hemantha Ranasinghe stated that his client had never solicited a bribe from the inmate in question.  
“My client has served as a prison doctor for over ten years without any prior misconduct. The bribery complaint to the Commission has been made by the wife of Army Asanka, after her husband’s mobile phones were confiscated while he was receiving treatment at the prison hospital. Those phones were allegedly used for drug trafficking while he was hospitalised. My client had objected to such activities and this complaint is a retaliatory act,” he said.  
He further stated, “At no point did my client request money from the inmate. Since my client is a businessman, his bank account details are publicly known, making it possible for this money to have been deposited without his knowledge. This incident occurred several months ago and my client was not arrested at the time of the alleged offence or while soliciting money. He was arrested at his home yesterday. He has no ability to interfere with the investigation. Therefore, I request that he be released on suitable bail.”  
After considering submissions from both parties, Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Ratnayake ordered that the suspect be remanded till August 19.