Former parliamentarian Sajin Vass Gunawardena has been further remanded until March 31 by Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama in connection with allegations of illegally acquiring assets worth Rs. 243.8 million.
Gunawardena was produced in court today (24) by prison officials after being taken into custody earlier this month by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.
The Bribery Commission informed the court that charges had been filed over undisclosed assets spanning the period from 2015 to 2026.
Investigators told the court that although Gunawardena, along with his wife and children, had undertaken numerous foreign trips, no expenditure details had been submitted.
Further inquiries revealed that his wife maintained private bank accounts with deposits amounting to around Rs. 34 million, and had also launched a new business valued at over Rs. 40 million.
The Bribery Commission requested that Gunawardena be further remanded to allow statements to be recorded from his wife and others linked to the investigation.
Counsel appearing for the former MP sought bail, but the magistrate ordered continued remand.
Gunawardena was initially arrested on March 9 when he appeared before the Bribery Commission to provide a statement, and was remanded until March 23 before today’s extension. (Newswire)