SC rules that Rajapaksas, Monetary Board responsible for current economic crisis

By A.J. Abeynayake

The Supreme Court yesterday (14) ruled that former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and several others are responsible for the ongoing economic crisis.

The bench comprised Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC, Buwaneka Aluwihare, Priyantha Jayawardena, Vijith K. Malalgoda and Murdu Fernando.

The five-judge bench by a margin of five-to-one determined that the Rajapaksa brothers as well as former Central Bank governors Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Prof. W.D. Lakshman, former Finance Secretary S.R. Attygalle, former Presidential Secretary P. B. Jayasundara, Saman Kumara of the Employees’ Provident Fund and the Monetary Board members of the Central Bank had violated the fundamental rights of the people.

The ruling was delivered based on the majority view of the five-judge bench presided over by the Chief Justice in respect of two fundamental rights petitions filed by the former head of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chandra Jayaratne and several others.

The petitioners had sought an investigation into the state officials responsible for the economic crisis. The SC ordered those found guilty to pay Rs. 150,000 each to all petitioners. The petitioners are Dr. Mahim Mendis, Julian Bolling, Jehan Kanagaratnam, and Chandra Jayaratne.