Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa, who is currently in remand custody over the controversial Airbus transaction, has been ordered to be produced before the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar tomorrow (28).
The order was issued by Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama when the case was taken up today (27).
The Magistrate also directed that Rajapaksa remain in custody until his appearance before the Trial-at-Bar and ordered that a report on the proceedings be submitted to the Magistrate’s Court on October 30.
The development follows the filing of indictments against Rajapaksa and three other individuals before the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar over allegations of money laundering and accepting a Rs. 100 million bribe linked to the Airbus deal.
Earlier today, Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court that the indictments had been filed with the approval of the Chief Justice.
He informed the Court that the indictment contains 24 charges and lists 59 witnesses.
The Deputy Solicitor General also indicated that today’s proceedings were expected to mark the final occasion on which the matter would be heard before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court, following its referral to the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar. (Newswire)