Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama on Monday remanded Member of Parliament Chamara Sampath Dissanayake until 23 October in connection with an alleged bribery case.
The order followed submissions by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and lawyers representing the suspect.
CIABOC officers arrested Dissanayake on the morning of 12 October and produced him before the court. He is accused of accepting Rs. 8.1 million in bribes from two private companies in exchange for issuing phosphate export licences while serving as State Minister of Primary Industries.
The allegations have not been tested in court, and he is considered innocent unless proven guilty.
The case will be taken up again when the remand period ends on 23 October.
