The Colombo Magistrate's Court ordered today (21) that Sugeeshwara Bandara, who served as the Private Secretary to Gotabaya Rajapaksa, be remanded in custody until October 28.
He is accused of the criminal misappropriation of over 220 million rupees (22 crore rupees) in government funds by simultaneously drawing salaries and allowances for two separate positions under the Presidential expenditure head.
Investigations conducted by the Central Criminal Investigation Bureau have reportedly revealed that, in 2022, he received two salaries for the same period—serving as a secretary to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa while simultaneously holding the position of Director General of Special Projects at the Presidential Secretariat during the tenure of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.