Colombo High Court today ordered to release Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena from a corruption case following the Bribery Commission's decision to withdraw the indictments. The Bribery Commission had filed indictments against Minister Abeygunawardena for the alleged unlawful acquisition of assets estimated at Rs.41.1 million.
Update:
Minister Rohitha released from corruption case
Lakmal Sooriyagoda
The Colombo High Court yesterday ordered the release of Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena from a corruption case following the Bribery Commission’s decision to withdraw the indictments.
The Bribery Commission had filed indictments against Minister Abeygunawardena for the alleged unlawful acquisition of assets estimated at Rs.41.1 million.
Defence Counsel Kalinga Indatissa PC had brought to the attention that the Bribery Commission had filed indictments against the accused without obtaining directions from all Commissioners of the Bribery Commission as per the Bribery Commission Act. He also complained that indictments had been filed against the accused without conducting a comprehensive investigation into the alleged incidents. Indatissa alleged that the failure to initiate a comprehensive investigation transpired during the course of the prosecution trial.
In response to the defence submissions, the Bribery Commission yesterday announced that it would not proceed with the case and thereby sought the Court’s permission to withdraw the indictments. Taking into consideration the facts, High Court Judge Adithya Patabendige ordered to release Minister Abeygunawardena from the corruption case.
The Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption had filed an indictment in the Colombo High Court on two counts against former Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena for the unlawful acquisition of assets estimated at Rs.41.1 million.
In his indictment, the Director General of the Bribery Commission alleged that the former Minister had committed this offence by way of undeclared assets in between 2004 to 2006.
The Director General alleged that the former Minister had unlawfully made 66 monetary transactions, constructed a house and purchased a jeep in contravention to the section 23(a) of the Bribery Act. The Director General further alleged that former Minister Abeygunawardena had owned these properties-deemed under the provision of the Act to be property acquired by bribery. President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa appeared for Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena. Deputy Solicitor General Sudarshana de Silva appeared for the Bribery Commission.
