Narahenpita Crimes OIC released on bail

Narahenpita Police Crimes OIC Thissasiri Sugathapala, who was in remand custody for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 2. 5 million from a businessman, was yesterday released on cash bail of Rs 15,000 with two sureties of one million each and banned from travelling abroad by Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya.

Former Narahenpita OIC Chief Inspector Upul Dammika Gunathilaka, who was also in remand custody in connection with this incident, was ordered to be further remanded till December 11 by the Magistrate.

The first suspect, Thissasiri Sugathapala was earlier arrested on charges of having obtained a bribe of Rs.2.5 million, pledging not to take legal actions against a businessman, Shantha Loku Bandara, who was a suspect in a forged documents case.

The Bribery Commission arrested the suspect on November 27 while accepting the so called bribe in Kohuwala area.

Earlier the bribery informed the court, that according to the complainant, the demand for a bribe had been made through the Narahenpita OIC and the initial demand was Rs.8 million by the OIC. And later on December 4 the Narahenpita OIC was arrested and remanded till yesterday in connection with the incident.

Appearing for the first suspect Counsel Gunaratne Wanninayake told the Magistrate that his client’s son was about to sit the Ordinary Level Examination this month, therefore release him on any bail condition treating the situation as a special one.

Asela Rekawa, the Counsel for the second suspect, Dammika Gunathilake, informed the Magistrate that his client was not arrested at the raid made by the Bribery Commission employing a decoy and it was his client that voluntarily surrendered before the Bribery Commission and provided a statement, therefore, this instance falls under the open inquiry category as per the Bribery Act and was bailable.

He further told that even though his client’s name was in the first complaint made by the complainant, the bribery had not mentioned about his client’s involvement in this incident in their first ‘B’ report which submitted to the Court.

Considering the defence counsel submission, Magistrate ordered the Bribery Commission to provide a comprehensive report on the second suspect on the next date.

The case was postponed for December 11.

Former Narahenpita OIC Chief Inspector Upul Dammika Gunathilaka, who was also in remand custody in connection with this incident, was ordered to be further remanded till December 11 by the Magistrate