The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) today (17) informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court that investigators have received information indicating that a portion of the Rs. 120 million bribe allegedly obtained from the wife of underworld figure and alleged drug trafficker Nadun Chinthaka Wickremeratne, alias "Harak Kata", had been passed on to certain senior police officers through a Buddhist monk.
The revelation was made when the case against suspects Charith Abeysinghe, Rakitha Rajapaksa and Aruna Warushahennadige was taken up before the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court, today.
After considering the submissions, Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama ordered that the three suspects be further remanded until July 28, 2026.
The suspects have been charged over the alleged acceptance of a Rs. 120 million bribe in exchange for securing favourable treatment for ‘Harak Kata’ while he was in detention.
The accused include Attorney-at-Law Rakitha Rajapaksa, son of former Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe; former Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Horana organiser Charith Abeysinghe; and former Civil Aviation Authority director Aruna Varushahennadige.
Presenting a progress report on the investigation, Assistant Director (Legal) of CIABOC, Anusha Sambandapperuma, told court that investigators have obtained a statement from Maheshika Madhuwanthi, the wife of ‘Harak Kata.’
She said the witness had voluntarily submitted a video-recorded statement detailing the alleged incident, along with a CD containing the recording. Investigators have also taken into custody a mobile phone containing recorded conversations between her and the suspects after the alleged promises made in exchange for the bribe were not fulfilled.
The Commission further informed court that investigations had confirmed earlier claims made by Nirmala Bandara, also known as "Herby", who had alleged that Charith Abeysinghe contacted him from India to discuss the bribe while the two other suspects were with him.
According to immigration records, all three suspects travelled to India together on March 3, 2023, and returned to Sri Lanka on March 7, 2023, aboard the same flights. Telephone record analysis had also corroborated Herby's account, the commission said.
The CIABOC further disclosed that investigators have identified more than 1,300 telephone calls exchanged among individuals connected to the case.
The commission also told court that it has identified the monk allegedly involved in transferring part of the bribe money to certain senior police officers. It said further details would be reported to court once the information is fully verified.
In addition, the commission revealed that it has received another complaint alleging a separate bribery incident involving the same three suspects, and that a separate investigation into that allegation has already commenced.
During the hearing, President's Counsel Neville Abeyratne, appearing for Charith Abeysinghe, sought bail on the grounds that the prosecution had not produced the alleged bribe money before court and argued that the case primarily relied on witnesses linked to drug trafficking offences. He also cited his client's heart condition and family circumstances, including the fact that he has three two-and-a-half-year-old triplets, as exceptional grounds for bail.
President's Counsel Nalinda Indatissa, appearing for Rakhitha Rajapaksa, also requested bail, arguing that his client faced threats to his life while in custody and suffered from severe sleep apnoea requiring nightly use of a CPAP machine, which he claimed could not be adequately used in prison.
After considering the submissions made by both parties, the Chief Magistrate fixed July 28 to deliver the order on the bail applications and directed that all three suspects remain in remand custody until that date.
