Ex-Minister Bathiudeen further remanded along with two others

By A.J.A. Abeynayake

Colombo Fort Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage yesterday ordered former minister Rishad Bathiudeen and two other suspects in remand for allegedly misappropriating Rs. 9.5 million belonging to the state, to be further remanded till November 13.

The judge ordered two of Bathiudeen’s drivers charged with possession of two firearms without a valid permit to be remanded till November 18.

Those remanded were Samagi Jana Bala Wegaya MP Abdul Rishad Bathiudeen, Samsudeen Mohamed Yazin, Alagaratnam Manoranjan, Abdul Mohamed Salam and Gijam Mohamed Ramzi.

Apprentice lawyer Rafiz Mafar who aided and abetted Bathiudeen to evade arrest and Marikkar Abdul Hakeem, who gave refuge to Bathiudeen in his house were released on two sureties of Rs. 500,000 each.

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Pieris objected to bail being granted to suspects on the grounds that the apprentice lawyer had taken Bathiudeen in his vehicle to the hiding place from the office of a President’s Counsel, knowing that Bathiudeen was wanted by the police.