A revision application filed by Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa seeking an order to stay the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court proceedings pertaining to Avant-Garde corruption case was yesterday re-fixed for June 6 by the Court of Appeal.
The matter was re-fixed for June 6 since the bench was not properly constituted.
Justice Janak de Silva declined to sit on the Bench citing personal reasons last Thursday (31).
Through this petition Rajapaksa is also challenging Colombo Chief Magistrate’s decision to refuse preliminary objections raised by Gotabaya Rajapaksa regarding the Avant-Garde corruption case.
The Bribery Commission had filed a corruption case against former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and seven others for allegedly causing a Rs.11.4 billion unlawful loss to the government when giving permission to Avant-Garde Maritime Services to operate a floating armoury.
In his revision petition, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has challenged Chief Magistrate’s decision to refuse preliminary objections raised by him and Chief Magistrate’s decision to fix the matter for trial.
At a previous occasion, the Colombo High Court had also turned down a request made by Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and seven others that they be released from a corruption case filed by the Bribery Commission over Avant-Garde incident. Rajapaksa is also seeking an order to set-aside the Colombo High Court’s order dated February 2, 2018.
Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had raised preliminary objections alleging that the Bribery Commission Director General had filed this case without the written sanction of the Bribery Commission.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption had filed this case against eight accused including Gotabhaya Rajapaksa under Section 70 of the Bribery Act.
The Bribery Commission alleged that the accused had had given permission to Avant-Garde Maritime Services (Pvt) Ltd to operate a floating armoury between August 7, 2012 and January 8, 2015 in violation of laws by providing unlawful income to this private company, amounting to Rs.11.4 billion.
President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva appeared for the petitioner.Senior State Counsel Janaka Bandara appeared for the Bribery Commission.
Add new comment