Indictments were handed over before the Colombo High Court today (09) against three suspects including former Trade Minister Johnston Fernando, on the allegation of incurring a loss of over Rs. 1.1 million to the government by dismissing employees of the SATHOSA from their duties for political deployment in 2013.
The suspects have been prosecuted under the 70th clause of the Bribery Act and the indictments were handed over before Colombo High Court Judge Navaratna Marasinghe.
The accused parties thereafter have been ordered for release on cash bail of Rs. 50,000 and two sureties of Rs. 1 million each. However, the accused parties’ foreign travels have been banned until the trial’s conclusion.
The defendants have further been ordered to hand over their passports to the Court and to report to the Bribery Commission’s Investigative Unit on the last Sunday of every month.
MIAP
