The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) on Friday told the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court that investigators have received information indicating that a portion of the alleged Rs. 120 million bribe obtained from the wife of organised crime figure Nadun Chinthaka Wickremeratne, alias “Harak Kata”, may have been channelled to senior Police officers through a Buddhist monk.
The revelation was made when the case against Rakitha Rajapaksa, Charith Abeysinghe and Arun Varushahennadige was taken up before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama.
CIABOC Assistant Director (Legal) Anusha Sambandapperuma informed court that investigators have now identified the monk allegedly involved and are in the process of verifying the information before reporting further details to court.
The Commission also said it had received a recorded video statement from Harak Kata’s wife, Maheshika Madhuwanthi, who allegedly handed over the bribe money. Investigators have also taken into custody a mobile phone containing recorded conversations between her and the suspects after the alleged promises made in exchange for the payment were not fulfilled.
CIABOC further told court that investigations had uncovered more than 1,300 telephone calls exchanged among individuals connected to the case.
The Commission also revealed that earlier witness statements claiming the three suspects had travelled together to India to discuss the alleged bribe had now been corroborated. Immigration records showed that all three suspects travelled to India on the same flight on March 3, 2023, and returned together on March 7, 2023. Telephone analysis also supported the witness account, investigators said.
The court was further informed that CIABOC has received another complaint alleging a separate bribery incident involving the same three suspects, and a fresh investigation has been launched.
Counsel for Charith Abeysinghe sought bail, arguing that the prosecution had failed to produce the alleged bribe money before court and that the case relied heavily on testimony from individuals allegedly linked to drug trafficking. The defence also cited his medical condition and family circumstances, stating that one of his two-and-a-half-year-old triplets had stopped speaking due to prolonged separation from his father.
Rakitha Rajapaksa’s counsel also sought bail, arguing that his client suffers from severe sleep apnoea and requires nightly use of a CPAP machine, which he is unable to use while in remand custody. The defence further claimed there was little remaining for investigators to examine.
After considering submissions from both sides, Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama ordered that the three suspects remain in remand custody until July 28. The court is expected to deliver its order on the bail applications on that date. (Newswire)