Ranil Wickremesinghe case: INTEREST GROUPS QUESTION LEGALITY OF SETTING UP TRIAL-AT-BAR

The Joint Opposition has raised concerns regarding the government's proposal to setup a three-judge Trial-at-Bar to take up the case against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

- By Kamanthi Wickramasinghe

Those present at the media briefing from left: S.T.Jayanaga PC, Prof. G.L.Peiris, Upul Jayasuriya PC and Dr. Nadish De Silva, Senior lecturer at Department Of Law, Open University of Sri Lanka

The case against Wickremesinghe is the alleged misappropriation of state funds during a visit to Britain to attend his wife's doctorate graduation.

During a recent media briefing, former Foreign Minister Prof. G. L Peiris, who raised the issue on behalf of the Joint Opposition, said that it is the Attorney General who can decide on filing a criminal case against any individual. “In order to file a case or a charge sheet against someone there has to be ample evidence. Even if there’s evidence the practicality of filing a case has to be considered. If people suspect that the AG has been pressured, then it affects the entire judicial system,” he added.

Peiris further said that it is the Chief Justice who has the authority to decide on a Trial-at-Bar. “It is only he who could announce the decision to setup a Trial-at-Bar. But the Chief Justice has not made any such announcement to this date. If a third person is making statements outside courts, then it is an outright violation of the law.”