Colombo High Court set aside Nugegoda Magistrate Kanishka Wijeyratne's order to release former Additional Magistrate Thilina Gamage over alleged unlawful possession of an elephant calf, and granted him bail on special circumstances.

The Nugegoda Magistrate granted bail on June 2, arguing that it was not certain if the Public Properties Act could be applied in the case of the particular elephant as it once had a license. The Magistrate granted Gamage bail, applying the Bail Act.

However, High Court Judge Manilal Waidyathilake said that the elephant in question falls under the Public Properties Act. The Magistrate's order is erroneous and he has not heard the case properly, the High Court Judge directed.

However, considering that Gamage was once in the judicial service and that he had turned himself in to the court voluntarily, the High Court granted him bail.

He was released on a cash bail of Rs 1 million and three sureties of Rs 2.5 million each. Foreign travel was banned and he was ordered to report to the CID on every Sunday.

Wildlife officials discovered an elephant named 'Sakura' at Gamage's residence in Maharagama in early 2015. The elephant was valued at Rs. 6.9 million.