Former Sri Lanka Navy Commander Wasantha Kumara Jayadeva Karannagoda was today granted bail by the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court over corruption allegations linked to the 2006 recruitment of Yoshitha Rajapaksa to the Executive Branch of the Sri Lanka Navy.
Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama ordered Karannagoda's release on two sureties of Rs. 2.5 million each and imposed a foreign travel ban.
The case relates to allegations that Yoshitha Rajapaksa was recruited as an Executive Branch Midshipman despite not meeting the required qualifications and was sent for training at the Britannia Royal Naval College in the United Kingdom at State expense, allegedly bypassing the standard recruitment procedure.
In delivering the order, the Magistrate said the continuation of investigations alone was insufficient to justify remanding a suspect. The court noted there was no evidence that Karannagoda had attempted to influence witnesses or interfere with the investigation and ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish adequate grounds for his continued remand.
Earlier, on June 17, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption arrested Yoshitha Rajapaksa in connection with the same investigation after he appeared before the Commission to record a statement.
Rajapaksa was subsequently released on three personal bails of Rs. 5 million each. The court also imposed a foreign travel ban and ordered him to surrender his passport pending further proceedings.
