Former Presidential Secretary Sukhiswara Bandara remanded until July 1

19-Jun-2026

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The Kotahena Magistrate’s Court ordered that Sukhiswara Bandara, former private secretary to ex-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, be remanded until July 1 over alleged fraud related to presidential expenditure.

The suspect was arrested in Kollupitiya earlier in the day by officers of the Criminal Investigation Department following a complaint referred by the Anti-Corruption Committee of a Presidential Commission of Inquiry. He was questioned for several hours after being taken into CID custody.

He was produced before Magistrate Pasan Amarasena at around 5.20 p.m.

Investigators told court that the suspect served as both Private Secretary to the President and Director of Special Projects between July 14, 2022 and December 21, 2024, during which he allegedly received dual salary payments.

According to investigators, he received Rs. 4,020,864 as Director of Special Projects and Rs. 1,933,065 as Presidential Private Secretary. They further stated that 135 employees worked under the Special Projects unit, with over Rs. 200 million allocated for salaries alone.

They also alleged the unit functioned not for public service but for political activities of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, and requested remand custody.

Defense counsel Jeevantha Jayathilaka argued that his client was arrested out of political hostility, stating that he had declined salary payments in writing during his tenure and that funds were deposited into the personal account of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He also claimed the appointment to the Special Projects role was made by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and that payments received were lawful.

The Magistrate directed investigators to obtain statements from relevant bank account holders and officials who made the appointments, and to submit them at the next hearing. The suspect was ordered to be remanded until July 1.