28 Jan 2025 - 196
By Lakmal Sooriyagoda
While ordering the release of Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the second son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, on bail in connection with a money laundering case involving a 31.5-perch property with a house valued at Rs. 34 million in Ratmalana, Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Ratnayake observed that there was insufficient evidence before the court to justify refusing bail for the suspect.
It was also observed that the property in question had not been subjected to any prohibition, a measure typically taken as a preliminary step by the prosecution.
The Additional Magistrate further noted that the investigation had taken an unusually long time of eight years and questioned the reasons for such a delay. It was also observed that the property in question had not been subjected to any prohibition, a measure typically taken as a preliminary step by the prosecution.
The Additional Magistrate stated that the prosecution had failed to present adequate facts to substantiate their claims that granting bail to the suspect would lead to public disquiet or hamper ongoing investigations. Consequently, Yoshitha Rajapaksa was ordered to be released on bail, with two sureties of Rs. 50 million each. The court also imposed a travel ban and directed Yoshitha Rajapaksa to surrender his passport.
The Additional Magistrate further observed that the prosecution named Yoshitha Rajapaksa as a suspect only after a lapse of eight years, following the release on bail of the first suspect, Daisy Forrest, his grandmother, in 2017.
Appearing for the CID, Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peeris informed the court that investigations revealed the property had been purchased by Yoshitha Rajapaksa under his grandmother’s name for Rs. 24 million. He argued that Daisy Forrest, being a teacher, did not have the financial means to acquire such a property.
President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis, representing the suspect, expressed dismay over the prosecution’s claim that the investigation remained incomplete after more than eight years. He contended that there were no reasonable grounds to deny bail to his client and raised concerns about the credibility of the police investigation, noting that the first suspect, Daisy Forrest, was granted bail eight years ago. The further magisterial inquiry was fixed for May 16.
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