Colombo Chief Magistrate Mrs. Thanuja Lakmalie today ordered the rejection of former minister Rajitha Senaratne’s anticipated bail application. Senaratne had filed the application seeking a preemptive bail order that would require he be released on bail if arrested by the Bribery Commission.
The Bribery Commission had been conducting an investigation into Senaratne and requested an arrest warrant from the Magistrate’s Court. However, the court ruled that under the relevant law, the Commission does not need a court warrant to arrest a suspect.
According to media reports, investigators had already examined Senaratne and had disabled his phone for several days, during which he remained away from his home. Nevertheless, his legal team submitted anticipatory bail application to the Chief Magistrate’s Court at Colombo requesting that in the event he was arrested, bail be granted.
The court had scheduled the announcement of order on this application for 2 PM today. In this afternoon, Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmalie ordered to reject the anticipated bail application.
