Former Member of Parliament Sajin de Vass Gunawardena and two other suspects have been acquitted of charges related to the alleged misappropriation of 309 vehicles from the Presidential Secretariat’s fleet before 2015. Colombo Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali ordered the dismissal of the case, releasing all three individuals.
The court’s decision followed guidance from the Attorney General’s Office, which advised the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to withdraw the case. Accordingly, Magistrate Lakmali ordered that the travel restrictions on the defendants be lifted, allowing them to travel abroad. The Registrar of the court was instructed to inform the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration about the removal of travel bans on the accused.
During the proceedings, the CID informed the court that the first suspect, previously released on bail, had passed away.
The case stemmed from an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of high-security vehicles, including a Benz, a Reston Jeep, and a Land Cruiser, which were reportedly under the custody of Sajin de Vass Gunawardena. The complaint was originally lodged in 2015 by the Presidential Secretariat’s Transport Officer, prompting an investigation by the CID.
