Former Minister Johnston Fernando was granted bail by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court on Friday after being held in remand custody for four months over the alleged misuse of a Lanka Sathosa lorry.
The court ordered his release on four sureties of Rs. 500,000 each. The case was set to be recalled on July 10.
Fernando, his elder son Johan Fernando, his younger son Jerome Fernando, and a former transport manager of Lanka Sathosa were arrested and remanded by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) in connection with the misuse of a state-owned lorry. Investigators allege the vehicle was used for operations linked to an ethanol company reportedly owned by Fernando, resulting in an estimated Rs. 2.5 million loss to the state.
The former minister and his younger son were remanded on January 5, and the pair had been kept in custody through successive hearings on January 9, January 30, February 13, and subsequent dates. His two sons were granted bail by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court on March 31.
Fernando previously served as Minister of Trade during the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration and held the post of Chief Government Whip in a later Rajapaksa cabinet. He is a senior SLPP figure.
