Former Navy Commander Granted Bail

04-Jul-2026

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Former Sri Lankan Navy Commander Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda was granted bail by the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court on July 3 in connection with alleged irregularities in the 2006 recruitment of Yoshitha Rajapaksa to the Navy's administrative branch.

The complaint alleges that Yoshitha was recruited despite failing to meet the required qualifications and was later sent for training at the UK's Royal Naval College at State expense, bypassing standard procedures.

The court released Karannagoda on two surety bails of Rs. 2.5 million each and imposed a travel ban. The Magistrate observed that the ongoing investigation alone was insufficient to justify continued remand, noting there was no evidence that the suspect had attempted to influence witnesses or obstruct investigations.

Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the first suspect in the case, was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) on June 17 while giving a statement. He was later released on three surety bails of Rs. 5 million each, with a travel ban and an order to surrender his passport.