By : Ovindi Vishmika
February 12, LNW (Colombo): Former Minister Johnston Fernando was produced before the Colombo High Court from remand custody as proceedings continued in the long-running corruption case filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) over the alleged misuse of Lanka Sathosa employees for political activities.
The case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Mohamed Mihal, who fixed March 6 as the next date for the continuation of recording evidence. Fernando and his coordinating secretary, Mohamed Shakir, are currently in remand custody in connection with a separate case before the Welisara/Wattala Magistrate’s Court and were accordingly produced before the High Court.
CIABOC has indicted former Minister Johnston Fernando, former Lanka Sathosa Chairman Eraj Fernando, and coordinating secretary Mohamed Shakir, alleging that during Fernando’s tenure as Minister of Trade, Cooperatives and Internal Trade between 2010 and 2014, 153 employees of Lanka Sathosa were unlawfully removed from their official duties and deployed for political work. The prosecution maintains that this resulted in a financial loss of approximately Rs. 40 million to the state, constituting an offence under Section 70 of the Bribery Act.
The case has seen multiple adjournments over the years, with several High Court judges recording witness testimony and issuing directives for the production of the accused when they were in remand custody in other matters. Arrest warrants had also been issued and later recalled in the past due to Fernando’s failure to appear in court, after explanations were provided by defence counsel.
In parallel developments, Fernando and his two sons are among five suspects currently remanded in a separate Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) case relating to the alleged misuse of a Lanka Sathosa vehicle. That matter is being heard before the Wattala Magistrate’s Court, which has ordered the suspects to remain in remand custody pending further investigations.
The Colombo High Court is expected to resume hearing further prosecution witnesses in the Sathosa misuse case on the next scheduled date, with instructions that arrangements be made to produce the accused from remand if they remain in custody.
