The Court of Appeal yesterday ordered the Commissioners including retired Supreme Court Judge Upali Abeyratne, the Chairman of the Presidential Commission which investigated cases of political revenge, to testify before the Court on September 11 in connection with a Contempt of Court incident by allegedly acting in defiance of promises made before the Court. This was announced in an order given regarding the petition filed by the former Director of the Criminal Investigation Department Shani Abeysekera.
Shani Abeysekera, in the petition states he was transferred as the Personal Assistant of the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the South while working as the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department.
It is stated that Abeysekera filed a Writ Petition in the Court of Appeal against summons from the Commission which investigated cases of political revenge, to testify in connection with a complaint made by Avant Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipati.
Abeysekera has mentioned in his petition that when the Writ Petition was called, the President’s Counsel who appeared on behalf of the Commissioners of that Commission gave an undertaking before the Court that no action would be initiated against him regarding the complaint of Senadhipathi until the hearing of this petition is completed.
Despite this the report containing the recommendations and findings of the relevant Commission was unveiled and the petitioner says that there were several recommendations against him.
Nelka Medegedera