March 27, Colombo (LNW): Badulla District MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake has been remanded in custody until April 01 over allegations of financial misconduct during his tenure as Chief Minister of Uva Province.
His remand order was issued despite being granted bail earlier in the day on two separate bribery charges.
The New Democratic Front (NDF) legislator was arrested by the Bribery Commission in connection with three cases of alleged corruption.
Whilst the Colombo Magistrate’s Court approved his release on bail for two of the charges, the court determined that he should remain in custody for the third.
The case centres on accusations that, in 2016, Dassanayake solicited funds from three state banks under the pretext of financing a programme to distribute school bags to preschool children in Uva Province.
Two of these banks reportedly complied, transferring Rs. 1 million and Rs. 2.5 million, respectively, into a foundation linked to the politician.
However, when the third bank refused to release funds, he allegedly withdrew the Uva Provincial Council’s fixed deposits from that institution in retaliation.
According to the Bribery Commission, these actions resulted in a financial loss of Rs. 17.3 million to the government.
Following a review of the case, the court ordered Dassanayake’s remand in connection with this third charge whilst granting him bail on the first two.
As per the court’s ruling, the MP was released on a cash bail of Rs. 50,000 and two sureties of Rs. 5 million each for the first two cases. However, he will remain in custody until at least April 01 as investigations continue into the third charge.
