By Shehan Chamika Silva
Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne refused to grant bail for MP Wimal Weerawansa, who was accused of misusing 40 government vehicles incurring Rs. 90 million loss to the state, on exceptional circumstance of his daughter being admitted to a hospital.
Delivering the bail order, the Magistrate told that there were no sufficient reports in court which could support and explain the health condition of the suspect's daughter.
Earlier, the defence brought a bail application on the ground of exceptional circumstance that the suspect's daughter was admitted to hospital on bad mental health condition, depression, due to her father was in the remand custody.
However, MP Wimal Weerawansa was not brought in yesterday to the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court by the Prison Authority because the suspect is currently being treated at Colombo National Hospital.
According to the Prosecution, the first suspect, Werawansa had misused 40 vehicles attached to the National Engineering Corporation (NEC) by using them for his private and political activities in the disguise of using them for the ‘Janasevana’ Housing Construction Project.
The FCID said that the so-called vehicles were taken by the NEC on the leasing basis for their various mechanisms in the Corporation. And the former Minister had both orally and in writing instructed inappropriately certain authorities of the NEC to release vehicles to his cousins, members of the National Freedom Party and some other persons who were not permitted to use such vehicles.
The FCID leveled the allegations against him under section 386 (Criminal Misappropriation) of the Penal Code and section 5(1) of the Public Property Act, where if the misuse is above Rs.25, 000 bail is not applicable unless exceptional circumstances or a High Court Judge.
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