Former Chief Justice Mohan Peiris and two others have been acquitted and released from a case filed over an issue related to the Lanka Electricity Company (Private) Limited (LECO).
The Colombo Chief Magistrate today ordered to acquit and release former CJ Peiris and two others from the case.
Incumbent Supreme Court (SC) Judge A.H.M.D. Nawaz and former Secretary to the Ministry of Power M.M.C. Ferdinando are the other defendants named in the case.
The case was filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) during the previous ‘Yahapalana’ Government.
According to the complaint, the officials had failed to provide proper instructions to take legal action against alleged irregularities in the purchase of land by the Lanka Electricity Company (Private) Limited (LECO) between December 1 and 10, 2010.
SC judge Nawaz was named as a defendant over the legal opinion provided by him as the Solicitor General at the time, which was approved by the then Attorney General Mohan Peiris.
The lawyers appearing on behalf of the defendants had pointed out that a legal opinion cannot give rise to a prosecution, and thereby requested the case to be dismissed.
The Supreme Court had initially issued an order preventing the case from being taken up for hearing after considering a writ petition filed by the defendants. The Court had later issued an order allowing it to be taken up for hearing.
However, the Bribery Commission had informed Court that it will withdraw the case, two ago, due to a technical fault. (NewsWire)