HC orders Bribery Commission to file submissions linked to objections filed by accused Johnston, et al

By A. J. A. ABeynAyAke

The Colombo High Court on Wednesday ordered the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) to file written submissions linked to the objections filed by former Minister Johnston Fernando and two others pertaining to three cases linked to state-owned Lanka Sathosa. The Court on Wednesday issued the order after taking up for consideration the case filed by the CIABOC on corruption against former minister Johnston Fernando, former Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE) Chairman Eraj Fernando, and former Minister’s Private Secretary Raj Mohideen Mohammad Sakeer.

MP Fernando has been accused of allegedly causing an unlawful loss of nearly Rs. 40 million to the government by deploying 153 employees of Lanka Sathosa for election work from 2010-2014, during his tenure as the Cooperative and Internal Trade Minister. The CIABOC had filed five separate cases against Fernando. Fernando, Eraj and Raj Mohideen Mohammad Sakeer appeared in court. The lawyer representing the accused refuted the allegations and presented written objections, seeking the court to release his clients. Accepting the written submissions, the court instructed the CIABOC also to present the written complaint pertaining to the case to the court on 09 Nov.