Court Grants Bail to Rakitha Rajapaksa and Two Others, in Harak Kata Bribery Case

COLOMBO (News 1st): Rakitha Rajapaksa, the son of former Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa; Charith Abeysinghe, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya's Horana electorate organizer; and Warusha Hannandige Aruna Sri Chathuranga, a former director of Airport and Aviation Services, who was remanded on alleged corruption charges, were released on bail by the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court today.

The court released them on bail, imposing two personal sureties of Rs. 1 million each, a cash bail of Rs. 100,000, and a foreign travel ban on each of the three suspects.

The three suspects were arrested on June 25, and remanded after being produced before court.

They were arrested in connection with demanding a bribe of Rs. 500 million, later reduced to Rs. 300 million, with an advance payment of Rs. 120 million, from Madhushika Madhuwanthi, the wife of organized criminal Nadun Chinthaka Wickramaratne, alias 'Harak Kata', who is being held under detention orders of the Criminal Investigation Department.

The bribe was allegedly solicited in exchange for preventing the assassination of Harak Kata, securing the withdrawal of his detention orders, and assisting with investigative matters, including transferring him to a prison other than the Boossa High-Security Prison in Galle.