Ex-MP Sajin Vass Gunawardena further remanded

Former Member of Parliament Sajin Vass Gunawardena, who was arrested by officials of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), has been further remanded.

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court today rejected the bail application filed on behalf of Gunawardena, who is in remand custody over allegations related to illegal acquisition of assets.

Accordingly, the court ordered that the suspect be further remanded until March 31, said Ada Derana reporter.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama issued the order after considering the facts presented by officials of the CIABOC, as well as arguments presented by the suspect’s legal counsel.

During today’s hearing, it was noted that investigations into the suspect commenced regarding the accumulation of assets exceeding Rs. 240 million during the period between March 31, 2013 and March 31, 2014, while he served as the Monitoring MP of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During these investigations, it was revealed that the suspect’s wife had a bank account containing over Rs. 34 million, and the officer stated that a statement is required to be recorded from her regarding this matter.

Additionally, it was revealed that in 2013, a company was registered in the name of the suspect’s wife, which commenced a business in a 3,000–4,000 square-foot building at the Colombo Racecourse area, with expenditures exceeding Rs. 40 million, according to the officer.

It was also noted that the documents relevant to these investigations had been taken by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in 2016 and that they were later retrieved to continue the investigations.

Accordingly, the Bribery Commission officer requested the court to keep the suspect in remand custody, as it is necessary to record statements in connection with this matter.

Subsequently, the suspect’s lawyer, submitted before the court that a case related to the underlying matters is currently being heard in the Colombo High Court. He further stated that all information regarding monetary receipts and payments relevant to the case has been presented as evidence in that High Court case.

The lawyer also presented details before the court regarding his client’s foreign trips and related expenditures.

He argued that these investigations are over ten years old and that his client has not influenced any witnesses during this period, and therefore requested the court to release the suspect on bail.

After considering the arguments presented by both parties, the Magistrate stated that new information regarding assets has been revealed through statements recorded after placing the suspect in remand.

The Magistrate also noted that certain information necessary for the investigations has not been provided by the suspect, as revealed by the Bribery Commission’s submissions.

Accordingly, the magistrate rejected the bail request and ordered that the suspect be remanded until March 31.

Meanwhile, the Magistrate accepted a request from the Bribery Commission and instructed prison authorities to produce the suspect, Sajith Vass Gunawardena, before the Colombo High Court on March 26.