Former Minister S.M. Chandrasena Remanded Until the First of August

Colombo(News 1st); Former Minister S.M. Chandrasena has been remanded until the first of August.

The order was given when the case was taken up today before Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali.

He is accused of pressuring officials, including the Planning Director of the District Secretariat, to distribute maize seeds imported by the government in 2014 at a cost of Rs. 25 million at subsidized prices meant for farmers in poverty in Anuradhapura, instead to his political allies, with the intention of gaining an advantage in the 2015 Presidential Election. 

This is said to have caused financial losses to the government.

As investigations into the incident are still ongoing, officials of the Bribery Commission requested the court to remand the suspect.

Accordingly, the Magistrate ordered him to be remanded and instructed the Bribery Commission to submit a progress report on the investigations on the next court date.