News

SC determines GR, MR, BR, PB, Cabral violated people’s rights

Published

6 months ago

November 14, 2023

editor

A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court has determined that a group including former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had violated the fundamental rights of the general public by mismanaging the economy between 2019 and 2022.

Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, and Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare, Vijith Malalgoda and Murdhu Fernando delivered the majority decision in the matter while Justice Priyantha Jayawardena dissented.

Other respondents in the case including former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, the Central Bank Monetary Board, former Finance Secretary P.B. Jayasundara, and former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal was also found to have violated the fundamental rights of the petitioners.

The petition filed with the Supreme Court pointed out that a tax relief of Rs. 681 billion for businessmen during Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s tenure as President was the main reason for Sri Lanka’s economic crisis.

They also pointed out economic mismanagement issues including the pegging of the Sri Lankan Rupee against the US Dollar, the delay in securing the IMF assistance, and the repayment of USD 500 million sovereign bonds during a forex crisis.

The petition was filed by Prof. Mahim Mendis of the Open University of Sri Lanka, Former Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chandra Jayaratne, Julian Bowling, Jehan Kanakaratne and Transparency International Sri Lanka.

The Supreme Court also ordered for the petitioners to be paid Rs. 150,000 each.

(newsfirst.lk)

News

Rathupaswala shooting: Army personnel acquitted

Published

2 hours ago

May 17, 2024

editor

All four Sri Lanka Army personnel who had been indicted on charges of shooting dead three persons and injuring 45 others during a protest by villagers demanding clean drinking water in Rathupaswala in 2013 were today acquitted by the Gampaha High Court Trial-at-Bar.

Delivering its verdict, the three-judge High Court ordered the acquittal and release of all four accused – a Major and three Army soldiers.

The incident occurred on August 1, 2013, when army personnel opened fire on a protest by villagers in Weliweriya. The villagers were protesting against a factory which they said was contaminating groundwater in their area and were demanding clean drinking water.

(sundaytimes.lk)

News

Fmr. Army Chief joins SJB

Published

5 hours ago

May 17, 2024

nipuni

Former Army Commander Retired General Mahesh Senanayake has joined with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).

In a Facebook post, party leader Sajith Premadasa said that the Former Army Chief joined the SJB to support the program to rebuild Sri Lanka.

Mr. Premadasa had appointed General Mahesh Senanayake as the Chief of the Samagi Ranaviru Balawegaya.

News

Colombo HC sentences 9 Pakistani drug traffickers to 10 years in prison

Published

6 hours ago

May 17, 2024

nipuni

Nine Pakistani nationals, who were arrested on charges of smuggling a large cache of drugs, have been sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Colombo High Court.

During a joint operation carried out by the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) and the Sri Lanka Navy on January 01, 2020, the Pakistani nationals were apprehended while transporting 614 kg of ‘Ice’ (Crystal Methamphetamine) and 581 kg and 34 grams of suspected drugs by boat.

The report of the Government Analyst has confirmed that the seized parcels contained over 491 kilograms of ‘Ketamine’ drugs and nearly 472 kilograms of ‘Ice’ (Crystal Methamphetamine).

The accused pleaded guilty to the charges when the case was taken up before the court, and were subsequently sentenced to 10 years in prison, police said.

Furthermore, the police mentioned that measures are underway to extradite the suspects to Pakistan in order to serve their sentences.

(adaderana.lk)

(This story, originally published by adaderana.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)