  
Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa, who remains in remand custody over the controversial Airbus transaction, has been ordered to be produced before the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar. The directive was issued on October 27 by Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama during proceedings at the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.
Chief Magistrate Bodaragama ordered that Rajapaksa remain in custody until his appearance before the Trial-at-Bar on October 28. Additionally, the Magistrate directed that a formal report on the Trial-at-Bar proceedings be submitted to the Magistrate’s Court on October 30.
The orders follow the filing of indictments against Rajapaksa and three other individuals before the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar. Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court that the indictments, which were approved by the Chief Justice, relate to allegations of money laundering and the acceptance of a Rs. 100 million bribe linked to the Airbus deal.
Key Developments
- Indictments filed against Namal Rajapaksa and three other individuals carry 24 charges and cite 59 witnesses.
- The case centers on alleged money laundering and accepting a Rs. 100 million bribe in connection with the Airbus transaction.
- The indictments were officially approved by the Chief Justice prior to their submission to the Trial-at-Bar.
- Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara stated that these proceedings are expected to mark the final hearing in the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court as jurisdiction transfers to the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar.
With the matter now formally transferred to the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar, legal proceedings against Rajapaksa will advance before the specialized bench following his production in court.