VAAS, FOUR POLICEMEN GRANTED BAIL
Former Western Province (Northern Range) DIG Vaas Gunawardena and four other Policemen, who were held in remand custody over the killing of millionaire businessman Mohamed Shyam, were yesterday released under strict bail conditions by the Trial-at-Bar judges of the Colombo High Court.
Vaas, four policemen granted bail
However, all accused including the former DIG will have to remain in remand custody over another case involving possession of firearms and explosives.
Three judges Lalith Jayasuriya, Sarojini Kusala Weerawardena and Amendra Seneviratne ordered that each of the five accused be released on a cash bail of Rs.500,000 with four sureties of one million rupees each.
The five accused, namely DIG Vaas Gunawardena, Sub Inspector Indika Bamunuge, Police Constable Gamini Sarath Chandra, PC Priyanka Sanjeewa and PC Kelum Ranga were produced before Court by prison authorities yesterday. While ordering the release of five accused on bail, the judges observed that Court decided to grant bail taking into account the two-year period the accused had been on remand since the inception of investigations into the matter.
The accused were further ordered to refrain from interfering with the witnesses, barred from leaving the country and asked to report to the CID on Wednesdays and Fridays. The sixth accused Ravindu Gunawardena the son of former DIG Vaas Gunawardena had been further remanded for several months in this case. He was not among the accused who granted bail because he did not file such a bail application.
Six accused including the former DIG and his son were indicted by the Attorney General in the killing of businessman Shyam, whose body was recovered from a thicket at Dompe in May 2013.
The accused were charged under 10 counts including conspiring to murder and abducting and aiding to kill businessman Mohammed Shyam on or around May 22, 2013.
DSG Ayesha Jinasena appeared for the Attorney General, while senior counsel Anil Silva PC, U.R. de Silva, Upul Kumarapperuma appeared for the accused.