Sajin Vaas re-remanded
Former foreign ministry monitoring MP Sajin de Vaas Gunawardena was yesterday re-remanded till June 3 by the Colombo Fort Magistrate on charges of having misused 23 vehicles belonging to the Presidential Secretariat (PS).
He had been named as the fourth suspect in the case and was produced before Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage.
CID Chief Inspector Lalitha Dissanayake in a further report informed Court that the suspect had also served as a coordinating secretary to the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.
He informed Court that the suspect had removed these vehicles without the approval of the presidential secretary and the PS transport director.
The Inspector also informed Court that two of those vehicles had been given to a private security firm at which the suspect had functioned as an advisor. He said the vehicles had been re-painted under the suspect’s instruction contrary to government regulations. He said there was no clue as to what happened to vehicle No: LG-8737 which is believed to have been used by the suspect. However, police informed Court that the suspect had handed over 16 vehicles to the PS on January 9.
Senior Counsel Saliya Peiris appearing for Mr. Gunawardena denied the allegations levelled against his client and said the suspect could not be charged under misappropriation. He told Court that his client had used those vehicles under the approval of the former president. “Not a single vehicle was taken out without his approval. All vehicles have been handed over to the PS. No misappropriation had taken place,” the counsel said.
He submitted a bail application on behalf of the suspect citing that the health condition of the suspect and his wife must be considered as exceptional circumstances.
The Magistrate ordered that the suspect be remanded till June 3 and observed that the request for bail wound be considered on that date.