April 07, Colombo (LNW): A sitting Member of Parliament representing the New Democratic Front, Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, has been ordered to remain in custody until April 21, following proceedings at the Badulla Magistrate’s Court.
The development marks the latest stage in an ongoing inquiry into a series of corruption allegations dating back to his time as Chief Minister of the Uva Province.
Dassanayake, who was originally detained on March 27, is facing multiple charges of financial misconduct linked to his tenure in provincial leadership.
While bail was granted in two of the three cases under review by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court, the third and most serious charge has resulted in his continued detention.
According to evidence presented by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), Dassanayake is accused of soliciting and misusing funds purportedly intended for an educational welfare programme.
In 2016, he allegedly requested financial assistance from three state-owned banks to fund a project supplying schoolbags to preschool children.
Two of these institutions reportedly released Rs. 1 million and Rs. 2.5 million respectively, which investigators claim were subsequently diverted into a private account linked to his own charitable foundation.
The controversy deepened when it emerged that, following a third bank’s refusal to participate in the funding arrangement, Dassanayake purportedly retaliated by ordering the withdrawal of the Uva Provincial Council’s fixed deposits from that bank—a move said to have led to a significant financial setback for the council.
CIABOC estimates the total loss to the public purse at Rs. 17.3 million.
Legal representatives for the MP argue that the transactions were undertaken in good faith as part of a community outreach initiative. However, state prosecutors maintain that the lack of transparency, combined with the funds being routed to a personal entity, constitutes a clear abuse of public office.
The matter was taken up again this morning in Badulla, where the Magistrate reviewed updated submissions from both the prosecution and the defence.
The court ruled that remand custody would be extended as investigations continue into the alleged financial misappropriation.
This case has sparked renewed debate about political accountability in Sri Lanka’s provincial administrations, especially concerning the management of public funds.
Critics argue that systemic loopholes have allowed similar instances of financial irregularity to go unchecked, particularly when those involved enjoy political protection.
Further hearings are expected later this month, and CIABOC has indicated it will press for a full trial if sufficient grounds for prosecution are established.
