Video: CJ lawyers go public with defence
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WEDNESDAY, 09 JANUARY 2013
Lawyers of Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake, Attorney-at-Law Saliya Peiris and Sugath Caldera, went public with a detailed defense to the allegations made against her stating that every “dollar and cent” earned by the Chief Justice had been accounted for, as required by the law.
Attorney-at-Law Saliya Peiris and Sugath Caldera in a detailed explanation to the public for the first time since the charges were brought against the Chief Justice said that all allegations against her were unfounded and subsequently distorted.
Saliya Peiris said that none of the charges amount to “proven misbehavior or incapacity” as required for the removal of a Supreme Court judge by the Constitution.
“The fact that since a charge of bribery has been brought against her spouse does not in anyway fall within the ambit of proven misbehavior. If that is so any person could bring in any charge against a spouse and child of a judge compelling them to relinquish office. This is dangerous and the judiciary really isn’t safe,” he said.
Referring to the rest of the charges both Caldera and Peiris said that every asset and liability has been accounted for and declared as required by law and any insinuation to say otherwise is a complete distortion of fact.
The lawyers made these remarks at a media briefing held at the Organisation of Professionals Associations yesterday.
“The buying of the house at Trillium residencies has been a main issue. The house was bought on behalf of her only sibling and every remittance from the Commonwealth Bank to NDB has been accounted for by way of the advice slip. Every remittance had very clearly indicated the purpose of remittance as being the buying of a house,” the lawyers said. (Hafeel Farisz)
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Attorney-at-Law Saliya Peiris and Sugath Caldera in a detailed explanation to the public for the first time since the charges were brought against the Chief Justice said that all allegations against her were unfounded and subsequently distorted.
Saliya Peiris said that none of the charges amount to “proven misbehavior or incapacity” as required for the removal of a Supreme Court judge by the Constitution.
“The fact that since a charge of bribery has been brought against her spouse does not in anyway fall within the ambit of proven misbehavior. If that is so any person could bring in any charge against a spouse and child of a judge compelling them to relinquish office. This is dangerous and the judiciary really isn’t safe,” he said.
Referring to the rest of the charges both Caldera and Peiris said that every asset and liability has been accounted for and declared as required by law and any insinuation to say otherwise is a complete distortion of fact.
The lawyers made these remarks at a media briefing held at the Organisation of Professionals Associations yesterday.
“The buying of the house at Trillium residencies has been a main issue. The house was bought on behalf of her only sibling and every remittance from the Commonwealth Bank to NDB has been accounted for by way of the advice slip. Every remittance had very clearly indicated the purpose of remittance as being the buying of a house,” the lawyers said. (Hafeel Farisz)
►WATCH
“Give her justice”
The lawyers of the Chief Justice Saliya Peries and Sugath Caldera speak at a media briefing today in which the refuted allgetations made against the Chief justice in detail. The lawyers said that “every dollar and rupee” was accounted for and declared by the CJ and asserted that she is willing to face an impartial inquiry at any given time.Pix by Samantha Perera-WEDNESDAY, 09 JANUARY 2013
