Colombo Chief Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake yesterday re-fixed the inquiry of the five corruption cases against the former Minister Johnston Fernando and two others.
This is for allegedly incurring a loss of Rs.40 million to the government by employing 153 employees of the Co-operative Wholesale Establishment (CWE) for election work from 2010 to 2014.
The Magistrate ordered prison authorities to produce Johnston Fernando before Court if he serves a term in prison at that time.
Accordingly, cases against former Cooperative and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando, former CWE (Lak Sathosa) Chairman Eraj Fernando and former Minister’s Private Secretary Raj Mohideen Mohammad Sakeer were fixed for trial on December 14.
Attorneys appearing on behalf of the suspects stated that first and second suspects did not appear before the Court yesterday because they appeared before the Kurunegala High Court yesterday.
The Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption filed these corruption cases against three accused under Section 70 of the Bribery Act on three charges. The Bribery Commission alleged that the first accused Johnston Fernando had unlawfully employed 153 employees for election work from 2010 to 2014, when he was the Co-operatives and Internal Trade Minister.
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