Sugheeshwara Bandara, who served as private secretary to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, remains in custody after a Colombo court rejected his fourth bail bid on charges related to alleged misappropriation of presidential funds.
The Colombo Magistrate's Court has ordered the continued remand of Sugheeshwara Bandara, former private secretary to ex-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, until August 25 after rejecting his latest bail application. Bandara faces accusations of criminal misappropriation of funds from the Presidential Expenditure Head and has been held in custody while investigations proceed.
During proceedings before Additional Magistrate Nuwan Kaushalya, Bandara's legal representative, President's Counsel Sanjay Rajaratnam, made submissions highlighting the suspect's medical vulnerabilities. According to the defense, Bandara suffers from a serious cardiovascular condition involving damaged heart arteries and blood poisoning, conditions he has been unable to properly manage while in remand custody. The defense also raised concerns about the psychological impact on his family, noting that his two children are receiving treatment for stress-related conditions at Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, and his mother's mental health has deteriorated.
Investigating officers from the Central Crimes Investigation Bureau opposed the bail application, arguing that personal circumstances do not constitute exceptional grounds for release. They contended that the ongoing investigation under the Public Property Act continues to yield new information and that granting bail could obstruct investigative efforts. The magistrate sided with investigators, determining that the circumstances presented did not warrant an exception to remand custody.
This marks the fourth unsuccessful bail attempt for Bandara since his arrest. The case remains ongoing with further inquiries expected before the next court date.
