HICORP director refused bail

Sarath MALALASEKERA

Colombo Fort Magistrate and Additional District Judge Lanka Jayaratne yesterday refused an application for bail of HICORP (Pvt) Limited Director Wellington Dehoedt, who had been remanded in connection with an alleged arms deal and remanded till March 17.

The Judge in a lengthy order remanding the suspect said the CID had produced the suspect under the Public Property Act and the court has no power to grant bail. The CID should take steps to expedite the investigations and submit a comprehensive report to court, the Judge observed.

The Judge also made an order to two bank managers directing them to provide investigators with details about the suspect's bank accounts.

On an application by Senior State Counsel Dammith Totatawatta, the Judge requested Prison authorities to allow the suspect to make a statement, under the provisions of the Prisons Regulations to Army officials in connection with another case. CID Chief Inspector Mohan Siriwardena who appeared with Inspector P. Vishvanathan for the prosecution, submitted a report in connection with the investigations and said they are making arrangements to obtain a number of documents relating to the case from several computers.

The CID said investigations into the alleged arms deal had not been completed. Chief Inspector Siriwardena also said the director had forwarded several forged documents to the Army to obtain the contract for his company. The CID will submit a comprehensive report in connection with investigations to court on the next date.

Senior Defence Counsel Asoka Weerasooriya moving for bail submitted that he was surprised that the CID had not obtained bank statements of his client for the last several months.

Senior Defence Counsel Asoka Weerasooriya with A.S.M. Bisma, Jayantha Nanayakkara and Shiraz Noordeen instructed by Rohith Rajapaksa appeared for the director.

The case will be called again on March 17.