-By Ruwan Weerakoon
(Lanka-e-News -2026.June.27, 8.20 PM) The Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court on Thursday (June 25) ordered that attorney-at-law Rakitha Rajapaksa, Charith Abesinghe, and a third suspect arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) be remanded in custody until July 3.
Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama issued the order after considering submissions made by CIABOC's Assistant Director General and counsel appearing for the accused.
Presenting the suspects before court, CIABOC Assistant Director General Anusha Sambandhapperuma made the following submissions:
The investigation was initiated on the basis of an anonymous complaint received by the Commission. In the course of that investigation, a recorded telephone conversation was discovered — between the first-named suspect, Charith Abesinghe, and an individual known as "Harbi," described as an associate of the detained underworld figure "Harak Kata."
In that conversation, Abesinghe allegedly stated that what happened to Makandure Madhush could happen to Harak Kata as well, and accordingly suggested that Harak Kata's detention order (D.O.) be removed and that he be transferred from Boossa Maximum Security Prison to a facility better suited to ensure his personal safety. Abesinghe further indicated that the necessary concessions could be arranged.
Harbi, who resides in Dubai, subsequently informed Harak Kata's wife Madushani — also based in Dubai — of this matter.
On March 25, 2023, the suspects, including Rakitha Rajapaksa, travelled to Dubai. At the residence of Harbi in Dubai, the suspects met Harak Kata's wife. A person named Midigama Ruwan was also present on that occasion.
At that meeting, in line with what had been communicated in advance, the suspects demanded Rs. 500 million to arrange the removal of Harak Kata's detention order and facilitate his transfer to a safer prison. The amount was subsequently reduced to Rs. 300 million, and then further to Rs. 200 million after Harak Kata's wife stated she could not raise such a sum.
The suspects then demanded Rs. 120 million as an advance payment. Harak Kata's wife agreed, and the amount was paid in two tranches — Rs. 100 million on one occasion, and a further Rs. 20 million the following day — both payments made in UAE dirhams.
The Assistant Director General told court that this fact had been corroborated by a statement given by the suspect Midigama Ruwan, who is currently in custody, and that his sworn affidavit would be placed before the court shortly. She added that a person named Harbi — also identified as Nirmala Bandara — had also given a confirming statement.
"Information has been received that the former Justice Minister, who is the father of suspect Rakitha Rajapaksa, also participated in this Dubai trip. Further investigations are being conducted in that regard," the Assistant Director General told court.
The Assistant Director General further submitted that after the money was received, neither the promised removal of the detention order nor the transfer of Harak Kata to another prison materialised. Harak Kata's wife accordingly pressured Harbi to return the funds.
Harbi informed Charith Abesinghe of this development, and Abesinghe stated that only approximately Rs. 20 million could be returned, as the remainder could not be recovered.
The suspects then paid Rs. 20 million — described as linked to the recently murdered individual Midigama Lasa, also known as Lasantha Wickramasekara. A written complaint regarding this matter was subsequently lodged with the Inspector General of Police, prompting the CIABOC to commence its formal investigation.
The Assistant Director General noted that a statement has yet to be obtained from Harak Kata's wife, Madushani, who is believed to be residing in Indonesia but has agreed to cooperate with investigators. Immigration and emigration records confirmed that the suspects departed Sri Lanka on March 25, 2023 and returned on March 29, 2023.
President's Counsel Anil Silva, appearing for Rakitha Rajapaksa, submitted that his client is a practising attorney with cases scheduled before this very court the following day, and would be compelled to attend from remand if custody was ordered. He further stated that his client suffers from a medical condition known as sleep apnoea, for which medical reports would be produced, and argued that detention in prison posed a risk to his client's life. He requested bail on these special grounds.
Counsel for Charith Abesinghe submitted that the arrests had been made on the basis of statements by individuals themselves held on serious criminal charges, and that curtailing a person's liberty on such grounds was inappropriate. He further stated that his client had suffered a heart attack, had four cardiac stents already inserted with five more required, and that virtually every age-related ailment associated with being over sixty had now beset his client — citing these as special circumstances warranting bail.
Counsel for the third suspect, Arunahennedige Arun Sri Chaturanga — a former director of the Civil Aviation Authority's Sri Lanka Airport and Aviation Services Company — submitted that the CIABOC Director General's certificate had been filed with the express purpose of preventing bail, and argued that the Director General had no legal authority to issue such a certificate in a case of this nature.
After considering all submissions, Chief Magistrate Bodaragama ruled:
The challenge to the lawfulness of the CIABOC Director General's certificate was rejected; the court held the certificate to be legally valid.
On the question of medical conditions, the magistrate observed that the reports tendered on behalf of each suspect failed to provide specific clinical particulars and could not therefore be regarded as special circumstances warranting bail.
The bail applications of all three suspects were accordingly refused. They were remanded in custody until July 3, with the magistrate directing prison authorities to ensure adequate security for the suspects during their detention.
According to a statement issued by CIABOC, the suspects stand accused of soliciting a bribe in Dubai in 2023 — in exchange for arranging the protection of alleged organised crime figure "Harak Kata" (Nadun Chinthaka Wickramaratne), who was being held under a detention order at the Criminal Investigation Department. The alleged services sought included: preventing his assassination; removing his detention order and facilitating his transfer from Boossa Maximum Security Prison to a safer facility; and securing his release from ongoing investigations.
CIABOC stated that the suspects initially demanded Rs. 500 million from Harak Kata's wife, Madhushika Madhuwanthi, subsequently reducing the demand to Rs. 200 million, before accepting Rs. 120 million as an advance payment.
The three arrested are: attorney-at-law Rakitha Nirmala Rajapaksa, son of former Justice Minister Wijayadasa Rajapaksa; Charith Wasantha Kumara Abesinghe, Samagi Jana Balawegaya organiser for the Horana electorate; and Varushahannadige Arun Sri Chaturanga, a former director of Sri Lanka Airport and Aviation Services Company Limited.
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by (2026-06-27 15:14:03)
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