The Colombo High Court has fixed the CIABOC corruption case against former Navy Commander Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda and Yoshitha Rajapaksa for a pre-trial conference, the Daily Mirror and Hiru News reported on Thursday.

The case was taken up before the High Court on September 17, the Daily Mirror reported. Both accused, who are currently out on bail, appeared in court. Hiru News reported that the court made the order after considering the submissions placed before it.

The allegation

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption alleges the two committed corruption by sending Yoshitha Rajapaksa — son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa — for training at the Royal Naval College in the United Kingdom when he had not met the required qualifications.

CIABOC has filed eight charges. The case concerns Yoshitha Rajapaksa’s participation in the Royal Navy Young Officers’ Course at the Britannia Royal Naval College between September 1, 2006 and June 8, 2007. Karannagoda is accused of causing a loss to the state by facilitating that participation without lawful authority while Navy Commander; Yoshitha Rajapaksa is accused of obtaining an undue benefit through the same arrangement.

Where the case stands

Thursday’s order is the next step in a sequence that has moved steadily since mid-year. Karannagoda was arrested by CIABOC in July, the charges were filed on August 3, and the indictments were served on August 20, when both were released on bail.

A pre-trial conference is a case-management step, not a hearing on the merits. It is where the court and the parties settle the issues in dispute, admissions, and the witness and document lists before trial dates are allocated. Fixing one signals the case is being prepared for trial; it is not a finding on the allegations.

Not reported

Neither outlet gives the date the pre-trial conference has been fixed for — the single most material detail in the order. Neither records what the submissions considered by the court concerned, nor whether any preliminary objection was raised.