Former JVP MP Lodges Complaint Alleging Corruption Charges Against New Chief Justice with CIABOC

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By Ishara Rathnakara

An organization called, Voice Against Corruption (VAC), lodged a complaint with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption(CIABOC), against the newly-appointed Chief Justice Mohan Peiris, alleging that he had committed a fraudulent act in 2008.

Convenor of the organization,Former JVP MP Wasantha Samarasinghe, in his complaint to the Bribery Commission requested to suspend the attorneyship of Mohan Peiris and take legal action against him.

He claimed, “Peiris was involved in the alleged fraudulent act when he was representing Royal Fernwood Porcelain (Pvt) Limited in a case filled in 2008, where the Director General of Customs was also named as a respondent in the
case.

“It was while Peiris was representing the company, that he was appointed as the Attorney General by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Following the appointment, Peiris instructed the Director General of Customs to charge only Rs 2.6 million from the particular company, instead of charging Rs 75.4 million,” the complainant alleged.

Samarasinghe said it is prohibited by the law to provide advantages to a particular party by using the influence of the position one was holding.

“It is fundamental tenet of the legal profession that an Attorney-at-Law should not act for two opposing or conflicting sides to a legal dispute. Quite apart from the fact that it is moral commonsense, the prohibition is expressly laid down in the Supreme Court rules of 1998 – Conduct of and Etiquette for Attorneys-at-Law. Rule number two makes clear that “These Rules shall apply to every Attorney-at-Law admitted and enrolled by the Supreme Court of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. This includes Peiris,” the complaint said.

He emphasized, as a result of the Peiris’ action, the government lost Rs72.8 million. “The person appointed by the government as the Chief Justice of the country is not suitable to hold the post,” he charged.

Samarasinghe also said he is in possession of several documents regarding the transaction and those documents would be presented to the Bribery Commission soon. He also requested the Commission to recover the losses of Rs 72.8 million from Peiris, which was lost to the government due to what he termed as Peiris’ dishonest behaviour.COURTESY:CEYLON TODAY