Court of Appeal has issued an interim order today suspending the Colombo High Court trial on bribery case filed against Avant Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi & Major Gen. (Rtd) Palitha Fernando.
The attorneys-at-law representing Nissanka Senadhipathi and Palitha Fernando earlier requested Colombo High Court to declare the case as illegal; as it was filed without the written approval of both commissioners at the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery.
However, Colombo High Court Judge, Champa Janaki Rajaratne rejected this initial objection and ordered the case to proceed.
The Colombo High Court served indictments on Avant-Garde Maritime Services Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi and Maj.Gen. Palitha Fernando who headed the state-owned Rakna Lanka Company for allegedly offering and accepting a bribe of Rs.35.5 million regarding the Avant-Garde floating armory transaction.
The Bribery Commission Director General had filed indictments against two accused on 47 counts under sections 17, 19, 21 and 25 of the Bribery Commission Act.
