Gota's Ex-Secretary to Remain Behind Bars Until July 22

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court today ordered the further remand of Sugeeshwara Bandara, the former Personal Secretary to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, until July 22 over allegations relating to the criminal misappropriation of funds allocated under the Presidential Expenditure Head.The case was taken up before Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena.The Magistrate had rejected a previous bail application filed on behalf of the suspect during the last hearing and ordered that he remain in remand custody.Delivering the order, Magistrate Pasan Amarasena stated:“The prosecution has submitted facts indicating that more than Rs. 220 million has allegedly been misused in the division where the suspect served as Director of Special Projects. The prosecution has also presented sufficient material before court indicating that approximately 135 employees were recruited on a contract basis due to political affiliations and that partisan political activities had been carried out within the institution. As investigations are still ongoing, bail cannot be granted to the suspect under Section 115(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act No. 15 of 1979 and the provisions of the Public Property Act No. 12 of 1982. Accordingly, the suspect is ordered to be remanded.”During the proceedings, investigators updated the court on the progress of the inquiry, stating that a further statement had been recorded yesterday from former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa following a request for additional clarification regarding the incident.An investigating officer attached to the Central Crimes Investigation Bureau told court:“The former President, in his latest statement, said that the suspect had not been paid a salary or allowances in relation to his role as Personal Secretary. He further stated that the money allocated for those salary and allowance payments from the Presidential Expenditure Head had instead been handed over in cash to another individual. In his initial statement, he had stated that the suspect did not receive any salary or allowances related to the position and had retained the money for personal use. However, in the statement recorded yesterday, he stated that the money had been given in cash to another person. We are taking steps to record a statement from the relevant individual.”The Magistrate also questioned investigators as to whether a detailed report had been prepared regarding the alleged political activities carried out through the Special Projects Division.Responding to the inquiry, investigators said examinations into that aspect of the case were still ongoing.An officer of the Central Crimes Investigation Bureau further told court:“Statements have been recorded from three individuals who served as directors of the division. During those interviews, it was revealed that although all three served as directors of the same division, they did not even know one another. We still have to record statements from around 120 additional officers.”The case has been filed alleging that between July 14, 2022 and December 21, 2024, Sugeeshwara Bandara served as the Personal Secretary to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and later as the Director of Special Projects under former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, and that salary and allowance payments obtained from funds allocated under the Presidential Expenditure Head had been misused.The matter is scheduled to be called again on July 22.