Judiciary independent now - Former President | Daily News

Judiciary independent now - Former President

Rajapaksa walks out in a huff from press briefing:

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, jubilant after MP Johnston Fernando’s acquittal, said he never doubted the independence of the Judiciary in the country.

He was speaking at a media briefing held at his home in Wijerama Mawatha, joined by JO MPs, Johnston Fernando, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Wimal Weerawansa, Prof G.L. Peiris and Namal Rajapaksa.

The former President insisted that they had always maintained that the Judiciary was independent and it was only certain institutions which were launching a witch-hunt against political opponents of the government.

Fernando following his statement piled on allegations against the FCID, Attorney General’s Department and the Prisons Department for entrapping him under ‘false charges’. He added that even though the Speaker had promised to ask the AG to not oppose bail as he was an MP, the AG’s Department had refused to comply, “The whole department has been politicised,”Fernando said.

The Kurunegala High Court on Wednesday acquitted Fernando of all charges in the case of misappropriating Sathosa funds worth Rs 5.2 million.

Prof. Peiris said the High Court had not even entertained evidence from the Defence as there was no substantial evidence to file a case.

“And yet who will take responsibility for the 74 days MP Johnston Fernando languished in prison? We will be pursuing compensation from all responsible for the mental anguish and physical deprivation of freedom suffered by him”.

As Fernando called the FCID a group of ‘handpicked police officers’ who have become a branch of the UNP, Prof. Peiris said they were liable to be sued on charges of perjury, intimidating witnesses and averting the course of justice under the Penal Code.

The Joint Opposition in its victory went on to stress that the incumbent government was destroying the justice system, arresting public officers (former Secretary to the President, Lalith Weeratunga was arrested for misappropriating Rs 600 million of public funds), arresting the Sangha for a ‘small mistake’ (Ven Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera was arrested on contempt of court charges) and for destroying a vibrant economy their regime had built (the economy scored a GDP growth rate of 4.96 percent by the end of 2014).

Relating his experiences in prison, Fernando said a special team of FCID officers from Colombo had been sent to harass him and the two others who were also accused in prison, “They wanted to plant drugs in prison and frame me for that. They also strip searched my associates in front of everyone, violating their human rights”.

When a journalist questioned the treatment meted out to the former Chief Justice, Shirani Bandaranayake under the Rajapaksa regime, a visibly annoyed former President said he did it Constitutionally and never violated the law, “We had a Parliamentary Committee appointed, a hearing and followed all the rules were followed”.

As Fernando declared that they would not be pressured into defeat thus, the former President concluded the press briefing and walked out in a huff in the face of uncomfortable questions.


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