CORRUPTION CASE AGAINST EX-CJ Peiris
Former APPEAL COURT Judge and Ex-Leco Chairman, the other parties :
Allegedly helping those involved in misappropriation of Rs. 260 mn Leco funds :
Allegedly helping those involved in misappropriation of Rs. 260 mn Leco funds :
Lakmal Sooriyagoda-Friday, January 19, 2018 - 01:10
The Bribery Commission yesterday filed a corruption case in the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court against former Chief Justice and former Attorney General Mohan Peiris, Court of Appeal Judge A.H.M.D. Nawaz and former LECO Chairman M.M.C. Ferdinando.
This is over an allegation that they conferred a wrongful or unlawful benefit, and favour or advantage on the perpetrators who had been accused of misappropriating funds belonging to Lanka Electricity Company (Private) Limited (LECO).
Accordingly, Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe Bandara issued summons on the three accused to be present in Court on March 8.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption filed this case against the three accused under Section 70 of the Bribery Act. The Bribery Commission alleged that the accused had committed this offence on or around December 1, 2010 and December 30, 2010 while Mohan Peiris was serving as the Attorney General and A.H.M.D. Nawaz was functioning as a Deputy Solicitor General at the Attorney General’s Department. Third accused M.M.C. Ferdinando was the former chairman of LECO.
The Bribery Commission maintained that two committees appointed to look into the alleged misappropriation of funds at LECO had recommended to institute legal action against the perpetrators under the Penal Code for misappropriation and under the Bribery Act for corruption charges.
The Bribery Commission alleged that contrary to the recommendations made by two committee reports, former Attorney General Mohan Peiris and A.H.M.D. Nawaz had made recommendations not to institute criminal investigations against the perpetrators, in a manner of conferring a wrongful or unlawful benefit and favour or advantage to the perpetrators.
It is learnt that several complaints had been made regarding an incident on alleged misappropriation of Rs.260 million at LECO when purchasing properties to the LECO.
The Bribery Commission has listed 15 persons as witnesses and 19 documents as production items of the case.
