The Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali today ordered that Ramith Rambukwella, the son of former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, who was arrested by the Bribery Commission in connection with three complaints regarding corruption and irregularities, be remanded until June 3rd.
The Bribery Commission had arrested the suspect yesterday (21) after recording his statements and produced him before the court.
Officials from the Bribery Commission, while presenting evidence before the court, stated that the suspect is the son of former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and that he had acted as the former Minister’s private secretary.
Officials informed the court that the suspect had submitted a list under his signature to the Ministry Secretary, naming 15 individuals for the Minister’s personal staff and requesting their appointment.
Although the 15 individuals were nominally appointed to the ministerial staff, they have never worked in the ministry and all their salaries and overtime allowances have been credited to a private bank account in the Pilimatalawa area, Bribery Commission officials told the court.
They stated that the investigations revealed that the money obtained fraudulently had been given to Minister Keheliya Rambukwella’s political supporters and friends, and had also been used for the minister’s personal use.
Bribery Commission officials informed that investigations revealed that all the allowances of the individuals who were nominally appointed had been approved by this suspect and that the loss incurred by the government through this amounted to over 8 million rupees.
However, Attorney Kanchana Ratwatte, who appeared for the suspect, stated that he denies all the allegations leveled by the Bribery Commission.
According to the Bribery Commission, the suspect requested the court to release him on bail as no money had been transferred to his donor’s account through this incident.
Having considered the facts presented, the magistrate ordered that the suspect be remanded until the 3rd.