The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court has rejected a bail request for former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa after a medical report submitted to court stated that there was no current medical recommendation for her to undergo open-heart surgery.
The case against Shiranthi Rajapaksa and former National Savings Bank Chairman Pradeep Kariyawasam was taken up again today before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama. They are accused of misappropriating public funds by obtaining Rs. 10 million from the National Savings Bank under the pretext of providing a CT scanner to the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children through the Siriliya Saviya organisation.
During the proceedings, the Deputy Director of Health Services in Colombo submitted a three-page medical report on Rajapaksa, in accordance with a court order. The report stated that a medical recommendation had been made for an angiogram of her heart, while a medical board had been appointed at the Colombo National Hospital to determine the treatment required.
Appearing for the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), Additional Solicitor General Deelipa Peeris told court that the Siriliya Saviya organisation had allegedly been used to launder illicit funds.
The prosecution alleged that in December 2010, a request was made to the National Savings Bank for Rs. 140 million for a project named Carlton Suwa Udana, with the amount subsequently changed to Rs. 50 million. The bank later approved Rs. 10 million.
According to the prosecution, the funds were transferred to the Siriliya Saviya account at the Bank of Ceylon’s Maradana branch in May 2011, following an instruction attributed to Rajapaksa. The prosecution alleged that the transfer had not received approval from the bank’s board of directors.
The Additional Solicitor General further told court that the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children had received an MRI scanner as a donation from the Chinese Government in 2014. However, the scanner was subsequently handed over to the hospital as a donation by the Siriliya Saviya organisation.
The prosecution also said doctors at the hospital had provided statements confirming that the MRI scanner was donated by the Chinese Government, adding that the hospital already had a CT scanner at the time.
The prosecution objected to granting bail, while President’s Counsel Anil Silva, appearing for Rajapaksa, requested her release on medical grounds. He initially told court that she was undergoing open-heart surgery but later clarified that the procedure was not taking place at that moment, although he had received instructions that she was scheduled to undergo surgery.
Following the submissions, the Chief Magistrate directed prison officials to obtain a report on Rajapaksa’s medical condition. The report subsequently submitted to court contained no recommendation for open-heart surgery but indicated that an angiogram was recommended.
The Magistrate stated that the report did not establish exceptional circumstances warranting bail at this stage. He added that bail could be reconsidered if the medical board’s recommendations established exceptional circumstances.
The Superintendent of Prisons was directed to submit a further report to court on Friday detailing Rajapaksa’s medical progress and health condition.
