The Colombo High Court has imposed a fine of Rs. 09 million on the three sureties of a person identified as Rajitha Asantha, who is currently evading the court.
The accused, Rajitha Asantha is facing charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act for failing to disclose assets and property of over Rs. 10 million acquired through trafficking heroin.
When the accused was previously presented before the Court, three persons identified as Thushara Indrajith, Amila Fernando and Mohammad Ikram appeared as sureties for the accused.
The court was informed that the three men had signed surety bonds of Rs. 10 million each.
However, the three sureties had been summoned before the court due to the defendant having evaded his case hearings.
During the recent court hearing, the Colombo High Court judge pointed out that if a person appears as a surety on behalf of a suspect or an accused, the relevant surety is bound by law to present the accused to the court.
As the three sureties had failed to produce the accused in court, the judge ordered that a fine of Rs. 03 million be imposed on each of them, amounting to Rs. 09 million.
