Corruption case against ex-cj Peiris postponed for Feb 26

Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratna yesterday ordered the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) to make written submissions in the case filed by former Attorney General Mohan Peiris against hearing of the bribery case against him in the Magistrate’s Court.

When the case was taken up for inquiry, the Magistrate issued this order on the Commission after observing that the case filed by Mr. Pieris is still pending without any final order being given.

The CIABOC had 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 during the period between December 1-30, 2010 while Mohan Peiris served as the Attorney General and A.H.M.D. Nawaz functioning as a Deputy Solicitor General at the Attorney General’s Department. The third accused M.M.C. Ferdinando was the former chairman of LECO.

The Commission had filed the case against Ex - Chief Justice and Ex- Attorney General Mohan Peiris, Ex -Solicitor General and Ex- Court of Appeal Justice A.H.M.D. Navas and former Secretary of Lanka Electricity Company M.M.C. Ferdinand’s in Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.

It was also revealed that the CID had earlier initiated an investigation into the alleged irregularities at the LECO (Lanka Electricity Company). But the Secretary of the LECO had then sought the opinion of the Attorney General over the need of a criminal investigation on the matter. The Attorney General’s had informed the CID that there was no need of a criminal investigation on the matter

The Commission had filed charges under Section 70 (Corruption) of the Bribery Act and Sections 102 (abetment) and 113 (a) (Conspiracy) of the Penal Code. The Bribery Commission has listed 15 persons as witnesses and 19 documents as production items of the case.

The case was postponed for February 26.