Dhanuna’s mother released on bail

(February 17, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Mount Lavinia Magistrate's Court today enlarged on bail, Ashoka Thilakarathne, the mother of Dhanuna Thilakarathne, the son-in-law of former Chief of Defence Staff, General Sarath Fonseka.

This order was issued when she was produced before the court by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) this morning.

The CID informed court that they had found US$ 527,000, 100 Sterling Pounds and Rs. 15 million inside four safes owned by the suspect at a private bank in Thimbirigasyaya.

The CID requested court to place her under remand custody while they investigated how she came in to the possession of this money.

However, Mount Lavinia Chief Magistrate Harsha Sethunga, having considered the facts presented by the lawyers appearing on behalf of Ashoka Thilakarathne, enlarged her on four counts surety bail in Rs. 5 million each.

Furthermore, the magistrate prevented her from leaving the country and ordered her to appear before the CID every Sunday before noon.

He also issued an order to the manager of the private bank branch preventing the use of the funds that had been placed inside safes at the bank.