Colombo Chief Magistrate Buddhika Sri Ragala yesterday ordered to acquit former Attorney General Mohan Peiris, Court of Appeal Judge A.H.M.D. Nawaz and former Chairman of Lanka Electricity Company (LECO) M.M.C. Ferdinando from the case filed against them by the Bribery Commission.
The case was filed on charges of preparing an erroneous Attorney General’s report to avoid taking legal action against irregularities committed in the purchase of lands for LECO during the period between December 1 and December 30, 2010, while Mohan Peiris was the Attorney General.
The CIABOC charged the suspects with gaining wrongful or unlawful benefit from the funds belonging to LECO, under the Bribery Act.
The three accused were acquitted as the Commission to Investigate Bribery or Corruption had decided to withdraw the case filed against them.
The Supreme Court had initially issued an order preventing the case from being taken up for hearing after considering a writ pettition filed by the defendants. The Supreme Court had later issued an order allowing it to be taken up for hearing.
Assistant Director General Subashini Siriwardena appearing on behalf of the CIABOC had earlier told the court that the case will be withdraw due to a technical fault.
