... clad in black she enters deck on her ow
By Chitra Weerarathne-September 16, 2013
The former Chief Justice appeared before court dressed in a black saree. More than one hundred lawyers said they would appear for her.
Defence Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty asked court whether she would leave the country over a matter of Rs. 1,000, being the amount she would have to pay even if she were found guilty of the charges as she had no money in the accounts at issue. (SI)
For the first time ever in the history of Sri Lanka, a former chief justice entered the dock in the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday. When the case number was called out by the Mudaliyar, Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake, on her own, entered the dock. She faces three charges, filed by the Permanent Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).
Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya yesterday, re-fixed, for Feb. 19, 2014, the trial in respect of three charges against the impeached Chief Justice, Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake.
Senior State Counsel Dilan Ratnayake told the Court that the CIABOC relied on computer evidence and needed to notify the defendant, 45 days in advance. Hence, the charge sheet submitted by the commission was not read out in Court.
The state counsel appeared with Subashini Siriwardene, Deputy Director legal of the Bribery Commission.
President’s Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty appeared for the suspect, Dr. Bandaranayake. He reserved the right to object to the charges. He said that a travel ban had been imposed on his client. If she needed to go overseas, she would seek permission from the Court.
Upul Jayasuriya, the President of the Bar Association, said that the ExCo of Bar Council had decided to support the suspect.
Nalin Ladduwahetty submitted to Court a very long list of names of lawyers, who had decided to appear for Dr. Bandaranayake, who is facing the allegation of non-declaration of her assets in three accounts in the National Development Bank, in the year, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
