Frm Chief Justice Mohan Peiris charged for corruption

-BC files corruption case
-CCM notices suspects to be appeared before court on March 8

By Shehan Chamika Silva

Bribery Commission today filed a corruption case against Mohan Peiris (former Chief Justice and former Attorney General), A.H.M.D. Navas (former Solicitor General and current Court of Appeal Justice) and M.M.C. Ferdinandes (former Secretary of Lanka Electricity Company) in Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court.

The case was filed against the three suspects over preparing a wrongful Attorney General's opinion to avoid taking criminal investigation on irregularities and corruption reported in land purchases for LECO during the time period of December 1 to 30, 2010 when Mohan Peiris was the Attorney General.

According to the Bribery Commission it was revealed that the Criminal Investigation Department (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.

Later the Attorney General's opinion received that there was no need of a criminal investigation on the matter. Bribery Commission said that the Attorney General’s opinion had wrongfully prevented the CID from continuing the investigation on the allegation at the LECO and certain alleged people, who had involved in the irregularities, being charged in a criminal case.

The Bribery Commission also stated that there were two Committees (Siripala Jayalath Committee 2009 and Ratnapala Dias Committee 2010) which had also scrutinized about the alleged irregularities in land purchases of LECO.

The Committees had also recommended criminal investigation on the matter but the Attorney General's opinion had disregarded those committee recommendations and decided no need of criminal investigation over the allegation, stated Bribery Commission.

Bribery Commission filed charges against the three suspects under Section 70 (Corruption) of the Bribery Act and Sections 102 (abetment) and 113 (a) (Conspiracy) of the Penal Code.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe Bandara noticed the suspects to appear before courts on March 8 over the case.