Srilanka, May 5 -- Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali today (May 5) ordered the release of Mahesh Gammanpila, former Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, on five surety bonds of Rs. 5 million each.

He had been in remand custody over allegations of authorizing the opening of suspended letters of credit related to the import of substandard organic fertilizer from a Chinese company in 2021-causing a loss of approximately USD 6.09 million to the government.

The court also imposed a travel ban on Gammanpila.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) informed the court that further arrests-including possibly former ministers-are expected. Statements from fertilizer companies are still ...