Court rejects bail plea of President’s former Chief of Staff and ex-STC Chairman
August 21, 2018 12:14 pm
The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today rejected the bail application filed on behalf of the President’s former Chief of Staff H.I.K. Mahanama and former Chairman of the State Timber Corporation (STC) P. Dissanayake, who were arrested on bribery charges.
Announcing the decision regarding the bail plea, Chief Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake stated that no special points were uncovered which had warranted giving bail to the suspects.
The two suspects were further remanded until September 4 by the Chief Magistrate, Ada Derana reporter said.
Presenting the bail plea, the defense counsels had made a request to consider the delay of the hearing of this case as an exception to release the suspects on bail, informing the court that provisions have been made under the clause 78.2 of the Bribery Act to conclude a bribery case at the earliest possible.
However, the attorney representing the Bribery Commission informed the court that no special information has been revealed to release the suspects on bail and hence requested the court to reject the bail plea of the defendants.
Accordingly, the decision regarding the bail plea was delivered today (August 21).
The suspects were arrested by the Bribery Commission for allegedly soliciting a bribe of Rs 20 million from an Indian businessman in order to transfer the machinery equipment belonging to the Kantale Sugar Factory.
