IGP and ex-Defence Secy. released on bail

By Manopriya Gunasekara

Former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and suspended IGP Pujith Jayasundara were released on bail by the Colombo High Court yesterday.

Fernando and Jayasundara were taken into custody over allegations that they could have prevented or reduced the impact of the Easter attacks and remained in custody for close to four months. Bail was granted following a request made by the parties, with an argument that the investigations into the incident were almost complete. The bail amounted to Rs. 250,000 per person and two sureties amounting to Rs. 2,500,000 each. The sureties had to be residents of the Colombo District and Fernando and Jayasundara will be required to present themselves before the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Director once a month. 

Bail was granted on the condition that it would be revoked if there were complaints that Fernando and Jayasundara were interfering with the investigation or unduly influencing witnesses. In addition to this, Fernando and Jayasundara were required to hand over their passports to Court, thus preventing them from leaving the country without approval.

An application for bail had been previously submitted and accepted by Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne in July 2019. However, following an application of revision submitted on the decision, Colombo Chief High Court Judge Vikum Kaluarachchi revoked the bail granted to Fernando and Jayasundara on the basis that Jayaratne did not have the legal authority to grant them bail.

They were thus presented before the Magistrates’ Court in October 2019 and remanded further.