Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa will be produced before the Permanent Trial-at-Bar of the Colombo High Court on 19 November in the Airbus case, the court ordered on Wednesday.

The Trial-at-Bar ordered that Rajapaksa, a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National List MP who is in remand custody, be brought to court by prison authorities. The case relates to allegations of money laundering and of accepting a bribe of Rs. 100 million linked to the Airbus transaction.

Indictments have been filed against Rajapaksa and three other people before the Trial-at-Bar, with the approval of the Chief Justice. Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara told the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday (27 October) that the indictment contains 24 charges and lists 59 witnesses.

Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama had ordered on Tuesday that Rajapaksa remain in custody until he appears before the Trial-at-Bar. The Deputy Solicitor General said proceedings in the Magistrate’s Court were expected to end once the case was referred to the Trial-at-Bar. A report on the Trial-at-Bar proceedings is due before the Magistrate’s Court on 30 October.

Separately, the Colombo Magistrate’s Court said on Wednesday that it will announce its decision on Rajapaksa’s bail application on 3 November. The Chief Magistrate made the order after hearing submissions from the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and Rajapaksa’s lawyers.

That application relates to the Krrish transaction. Rajapaksa has been remanded over an allegation that he accepted a Rs. 100 million bribe in connection with the transfer of land at Transworks Square in Colombo Fort to the Krrish company for a multipurpose development project.

Background

Rajapaksa has been held in remand since 4 September over the Rs. 100 million bribery allegation linked to the 2013 purchase of 10 aircraft from Airbus. His arrest followed an affidavit from businessman Nimal Perera, who is absconding. In it, Perera said he paid Rs. 100 million in cash to Rajapaksa after receiving the money from Airbus to facilitate the deal.

A Trial-at-Bar is heard by a bench of three High Court judges instead of a single judge, and the bench is appointed by the Chief Justice. The Magistrate’s Court handles the earlier stages of a case, including remand and bail, until the matter is sent to the High Court.

What it means

An indictment sets out the charges the prosecution intends to prove. It is not a finding of guilt, and the allegations against Rajapaksa will be tested at trial.

Three dates now frame the proceedings: a report to the Magistrate’s Court on 30 October, the bail decision in the Krrish case on 3 November and Rajapaksa’s appearance before the Trial-at-Bar on 19 November.