Lawyers for former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa told a court Friday that his health is deteriorating in custody as he suffers from severe sleep apnea, but a magistrate ordered him to remain in remand until Sept. 19 in a corruption case.
Attorney Anuja Premarathna said Rajapaksa experiences breathing difficulties up to 35 times per hour while asleep and requires specialized medical equipment that is not available in prison. He argued that Rajapaksa’s condition had worsened and led to hospitalization for high blood pressure.
Prosecutors opposed the bail plea, saying Rajapaksa had managed a month without the device in custody and that his condition did not justify release.
Rajapaksa, who was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, is being held under the Public Property Act. Investigators allege he pressured officials to raise the compensation value of a building illegally constructed on Mahaweli Authority land in Sewanagala and later destroyed by protesters. The alleged amount was set at 8.85 million rupees.
Chief Magistrate Asanka Bodaragama said the bail ruling will be delivered Sept. 19 and ordered Rajapaksa to remain in custody until then. (Newswire)
