UNP MP files contempt charge against Anura Bandaranaike

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 December 2004, 16:44 GMT]
Mr.Johnston Fernando, Kurunagala district United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian filed a petition in the Supreme Court requesting it to issue a rule against Mr.Anura Bandaranaike for alleged contempt of court for predicting the jail sentence on Mr.S.B.Dissanayake one month ahead of his conviction, legal sources said.

Acting Registrar Ms Hema Ratnayake has circulated the copies of the petition to judges of the Supreme Court, legal sources said.

Mr.Johnston Fernando has said in his petition that a speech made by Mr. Bandaranaike, Industries, Tourism and Investment Promotion during the month of November at Mannampitiya in Pollonnorawa amounted to contempt of court. Mr.Anura Bandaranaike had predicted in his speech that Mr.S.B.Dissanayake, UNP national organizer and parliamentarian would be in prison with the dawn of the New Year.

Mr.Johnston Fernando, who was the Minister of Sports in the then UNP government, has annexed a copy of the Sinhala newspaper on this speech with his petition.

The petitioner has further stated that Mr.Bandaranaike's statement suggested he was aware that Mr Dissanayake would be sent to jail and it amounted to an undermining of the independence of judiciary. He added in his petition that in view of Mr.Bandaranaike's speech, an ordinary citizen of the country would get the impression that the decision of the Mr.Dissanayake's case was known to Mr.Bandaranaike well before it was announced, legal sources said.

Mr.Johnston Fernando has sent copies of his petition to the Attorney General and Bar Association of Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile the Chief Justice Mr.Sarath N.Silva has gone abroad and Justice Ms Shiranee Bandaranaike is acting for him till he returns, legal sources said.