Former Minister Basil Rajapaksa was granted bail today by the Colombo High Court.
Basil
He was arrested last month by the FCID and subsequently remanded by the Kaduwela Magistrate over charges that he misappropriated state funds amounting to Rs. 33 million from the Divi Neguma Funds.
After the Kaduwela Magistrate refused to grant him bail, Rajapaksa sought bail through the Colombo High Court.
thrishu / August 8, 2016
Charade continues! What is the point of arresting this man and keeping him fed with tax payers expense for a fortnight. You might as well send him a letter informing that he has been arrested and charged; it may be sufficient for him to send back a signed acknowledgment. May be even that could be waived or better still let the man write his own laws while he is at it. Sri Lanka law and order or justice Minister you are a big joke man!
/
Leelawathie / August 8, 2016
If the rulers feel that they have to promote their party agendas keeping all the high profile cases of all the sharks of previous regime aside. That will definitely be a joke.
This joke will not be tolerable further since people are so fed up these becoming late to this day. I myself know that these need all the higher punishments for all the evils deliberately carried out by them:
Please President and PM advise all the lawyful bodies to react without being biased to you. We know there are some sorta of unbiasness is there, but we finally want Basil, Namal, Gotabaya to enter their fair jail sessions for all the high crimes done – which was no secret to the nation but to you yet.
/
Simon De Silva / August 8, 2016
Thrisu alone the issue of distribution of sewing machines and other items in the days of political campaigns, by abusing the funds of the state treasury is good enough to send this man to a jail for his rest of life. since the sums were millions to billions… but the rulers seem to have no enough evidences yet? Why ?
Why cant they confiscate the assets the bugger own in the US yet ?
Germans woudl react so blunt if a minister is charged to have done this mountains of mistakes. If they can why not us srilankens ?
I am so fed up of being compelled to read the bugger being sent to Prison hosp and then free on bails.. these men in the current judiciary… are doing a disgrace to entire bailing system. Why then the innocient are being charged for small roberies ?
Better, the rulers could allow all the idiots to do their crimes as had been the case under the patronage of Meeharaka Rajano
/
Justice for all / August 8, 2016
The way things are going we might have to import lawyers, judges law makes and all! What a broken legal system we have! Unable to put away these criminals what a shame. Send them to the International Criminal Court! All this is leading to the ICC as the best option. Sri Lankan legal system has failed!
The whole legal system has to be examined and restructured to prevent this inability to take action against criminals!
/
Amarasiri / August 8, 2016
Basil Gets Bail
No Surprise here. It’s all for show.
This is called Yahapalanaya in action.Did Basil bribe some people with the stolen billions?
/
Ajith / August 8, 2016
So Kurunagale court is biased against Basil or Colombo court is in support of Basil? Whay a joke in the Srilankan justice system!
Public money is wasted!
/
Shamil / August 8, 2016
People of SL are cheated by politicians.
/
Plato. / August 8, 2016
Getting admitted to Hospital,after being remanded and then being granted Bail makes our legal system like a Merry-Go-Round in a carnival.
/
Topla / August 8, 2016
I’d guess some precise calculations have been done which show it is better to keep the Rajapaksas busy going round and round than risk giving them martyrdom by locking them up. That, or a deal was struck during early hours, the morning after the elections.
/
Justice & Fairplay / August 9, 2016
Topla,
If it is ‘Yahapalanaya’ or in a mature democracy, there cannot be any DEALS.
The natural course of justice must prevail. If it doesnt, then we arent a mature democracy … yet!
Elementary, really!
/
Ben Hurling / August 8, 2016
Judiciary itself is totally rotten, corrupt and dysfunctional. Needs a total make-over and modernization. Even a deep purge to remove corrupt officials. Including Judges.
These cases will drag on for decades. Providing fodder for corrupt legal fraternity. Specially defense lawyers and others.
When the regime changes and it will, AG will slowly withdraw these high-profile cases. One by one. Behind the back of stupid and tired public.
Deal Dasa is pulling the strings for that scenario to take place.
Cheers!
/
Bunjappu / August 8, 2016
Just returned from Lanka.
Not only Judiciary but almost every thing is beyond recovery down there.
Ben, it took me 2 hours to get from Cmbo to 4 kANUWa. They have two lanes but they the drivers make a new line in between and causing all kind of unbearable traffic jams.
Sound exposure in public buses were beyond all bearable levels
No matter you like or not, you are compelled ot listen to their baila music. No rule of law is introduced to those men run those pvt buses. Some just drive on a snail move so that they can block their colleagues and abuse the commuters. No matter the commuters intend to reach their destinationa as p as they could those bus runners behave as if they dont care the passengers. And getting into a bus and getting off were no easy at all. Passengers are treated as all the last dirts.
This is typical to lanka. I hate to travel back to the country but i don have a choice.
/
Bunjappu / August 8, 2016
Let s call a referendum if Basil Rajaakshe to be given bail.
Surely, if people (not those who are grass eaters but the others) of this country are no sick – would agree to put him jail for his rest of life. Not only to just put him jail but to hang him by his balls could relieve the nation
A) Divinaguma fund abuses
B) Silredi and all other distributions being made only because he thought treasury funds were Rajakashes
C) And all kind of the other high profile abuses which ate billions of the state funds.
/
Law / August 8, 2016
Fresh openings coming soon! honest lawyers with integrity get ready to grab the opertunity. At least half of these lawyers should have their licenses cancelled.
/
Nirmala N / August 8, 2016
Oh my God.
Why! why!! why!!!
Put him in the zoo.
/
Justice & Fairplay / August 8, 2016
whether he is in jail, out of jail, in hospital or out, on bail or not, is of receding interest to many.
He was useful for a time as a spleen venting object but now even that does not thrill. He’s nothing more than a plain bore and a cheap one at that.
/
Justice & Fairplay / August 9, 2016
Dear Police,
Please dont arrest this ignoramus anymore. It costs us money and a hospital bed which can be put to far better use. Carrying this man is carrying deadwood.
This man is a shameless, gutles, worthlesss person who has to go to hospital each time he is arrested and imprisoned.
Would dearly love to meet the doctor who prescribed hospital stay.
/
Mudson Silva. / August 8, 2016
Arresting and Bailing is a big SHAM!! MY3 please reshuffle the cabinet and appoint Fonseka as the Minister in charge of Law and Order and take disciplinary action against, Deal Dasa Rajapaksa, Vajira Buru wardena, Tilak Maraponnaya and rest of the ministers whom you feel are scuttling the yahapalanaya progress.
/
Seelawathie Jayasinghe / August 8, 2016
Yes it has become like deceiving selves.
I really don tkno what our gold en son of the nation – Late Rev sir Sobitha thero woudl have felt, had he lived by today to experience this this way. I am sure, he would have discussed with Mr President and Mr PM that the justice we expected is no means done. And we the folks have no more patience.
/
Jayan / August 8, 2016
This shows Sri Lankan judicial system is just not capable of punishing the crooks. Thant is why we need international judges for the war crimes trial.
/
Law / August 8, 2016
Seems like you are correct Jayan! Time to hand these matters to the International Criminal Court (ICC)
/
AshyD / August 9, 2016
YES!
The call for International Judges would intensify if our Judiciary acts like this.
Destroying, Robbing, misusing Government property are NON BAILABLE OFFENSES.
Why does the High Court always grant bail to this SERIAL accused? Is something sinister happening in our Judiciary?
The Government may have to cleanse the Judiciary if the International community is to take our Justice System seriously.
If not, any amount of rhetoric will not sway the International community to take any Judgement delivered by any Courts in Sri Lanka seriously.
The call for an International Court to hear the last days of the war in Sri Lanka will be a “Sword of Damocles” that would always be dangling around our necks.
/
Ansar / August 8, 2016
AKD clearly explains the deals what Ranil has with MARA family to exploit the political survival of his party and his premiership.
This comedy will continue as long as it takes. We the people are the fools to have had faith in these politicians, calling him Mr.Clean and stuff. He also proves that he too is a typical Sri Lankan Politician.
If MARA family is not punished for the crimes they have committed like Murder, Extortion, Disappearances and Colossal public plunder, what’s the F….. purpose of our Judiciary…Wither Sri Lanka.
/
Jay / August 8, 2016
So will he be admitted to another hospital of his own, transferred from Prison sponsored govt hospital. What a joke.
/
Rohan / August 8, 2016
Is it all right to remove the letter ‘s’ from his name, and rename him to Bail Rajapaksa?
/
Sama / August 8, 2016
Very right sir,
you are spot on.
But who makes him such – if not this govt.
This govt has no backborne as I feel now. I really want all Rajakashe to be put in jail as no marches or others could be seen on the screen.
Ballige putha has travelled ot Korea to please them and their ali pataw, while creating all the mess in the country, why to allow him to go abroad is the question actually….
such tolerance for high profile criminals ? Not even america you would see it… it is just becaues these buggers in power today are as JVPrs say, have no balls to act.
/
sekara / August 8, 2016
What is the objection about?
Refusal of bail?
There is legal procedure to follow and one could object if there is irregularity. So far, there is none in this case.
/
AJ / August 8, 2016
If you think the application is about ‘irregularity’ and there is none in the case , why was he denied bails previously ????
The bail application is not about irregularity. If there is any irregularity, it will not be heard at bail hearing. It’s about court deciding whether the suspect is a threat to the society, whether the suspect is going to hideaway or whether the suspect would destroy the evidence while out of the jail. At previous bail application, the burden of proof was in Rajapakse and he was not able to prove that. In this case he was able to satisfy the judge that he will meet the bail condition including appropriate bond and surety.
/
sekara / August 9, 2016
AJ
Judges are far from infallible and can be very subjective. And there is also discretionary power on top of it.
That is why people appeal against rulings and at times succeed.
Refusal of bail as much as granting of it depends on the judge as well as how the plea was presented. Two different conclusions need not mean that one of them is fishy. (But we have had judges who contradict their own rulings in public.)
I have little faith in the legal system after having to hang around in a court of law for years over a matter that a broker would have resolved in a day.
As you say, there is nothing very objectionable about granting bail. People get worked up because they like or dislike someone and ignore the merits of the case.
/
Douglas / August 8, 2016
This DRAMA of “Arresting & Bailing” reminds me of my villagers describing such situations in simple, but very forceful style as: “Devale Kapuwa Kovile Runnata Ganda Nehe” meaning “If the Priest Defecate inside the Temple, that Does Not Emit any Foul Smell”. Do you need to write many more volumes to describe this latest “DRAMA” enacted by the Law Enforcement?
/
Sherantha / August 8, 2016
Most anticipated Comedy serial..Release on bail .. To be continued ..
/
Nimal / August 8, 2016
Repeat Mara/Gota way to to deal with these crooks. Use a few white vans, remorseless army deserters, and sprits to completely obliterate this unpardonable criminal called B’Sil and his brothers, nephews tainted with heinous crimes during the previous regime.
/
justice / August 8, 2016
Bail is primarily meant to prevent any accused from evading the jurisdiction of court, especially in a criminal case, by being unavailable on the next date, by even going abroad.
Basil, a citizen of USA, can easily go there.
To prevent this, he should have been ordered to surrender his passport to court.
This had been done in many instances, in the recent past.
But, this appears to have not been done, in this case, even though he had been remanded earlier.
There is no mention of AG opposing bail, either.
Basil’s brother, the former President has been quoted as saying “We can fix cases, and we can free people”.
I hope that this is no longer true – with the present President.
/
Upul / August 8, 2016
People rejected these thieves and sent them home as they saw how boldly these people robbed public money and property during their regime. These scum bags should be dealt properly for the crimes that they committed. There is an adage: “delaying justice is denying justice”. Is that what is going to happen? What I personally think is that these scum bags are buying people with their looted wealth to drag these investigations at a snail pace. If not, then our legal system is very weak and should get some foreign judges to do a proper job.
/
Tamil from the north / August 8, 2016
Ah what a lovely news to read. First he gets arrested, goes to jail but he is sick, so they put him in a 5 star hospital and then 4 weeks later the poor baby comes out of hospital on bail. Engages in hard work for the betterment of the people of Lanka, then he does the same routine again…………arrest….spend time in hospital….bail.
/
Funlover / August 8, 2016
Sirisena is setting a precedent: those who lose power should not be criminally prosecuted. Pretended punishment like “arrest & bail-out” is the maximum for PR purposes. When he is out of power Sirisena expects he too will be arrested for fraud corruption and nepotism. He also expects that the “precedent” he established will come to his rescue. Aiyo Sirisena tho wage thirisanek.
/
jim softy / August 8, 2016
Newest news is he did not have education or qualifications sufficient enough to run the program. that is the answer to FCID. that is why all those corruptions happened.
Who voted Grade Eight passed people for the Economics and development minister.
The next issue, how many more are there who do not have education or qualifications but they are high profile ministers.
The next level is those who passed grade 10 going through the Law college thinking they are the best qualified.
/
thumpane gamaya / August 9, 2016
wijedasa the dealdasa is behind the deal making…avant guard is funding for basil and gota and dealdasa is manipulating AG office to letthe rouges go scot free
/
AshyD / August 9, 2016
He has stolen money belonging to the State. How can he be given Bail?
It is an Un-bailable offense. Yes! This charade should stop and he should be kept in remand till all the cases where he stole money from the State are completed.
/