Former Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Ajith Nivard Cabraal in a statement today (18) reiterated that the allegations levelled against him are baseless and/or malicious and that he has no intention of travelling overseas.
He added that these allegations have been presented to Court by suppressing important material facts and that all steps will be taken legally to refute them and present the correct facts to Court.
Statement by Ajith Nivard Cabraal on 18th April 2022
In accordance with the Summons issued to me in Case No: 68647/4 by the Registrar of the Colombo Magistrate Court, I was ordered to tender appearance through my Registered Attorney and to move to file answer in Court on 18th April 2022. The said Summons was issued to me in terms of the Civil Procedure Code and I had also been informed that if I am not represented by a registered Attorney, I should furnish a communication to Court, specifying an address to which all legal notices should be addressed in the future.
Mr. Jeevantha Jayatilake, Senior Attorney at Law appearing on my behalf in Court explained the nature of the Summons that I have received, and further informed Court that my personal appearance has been dispensed with, in terms of the Summons. I have also been advised by my lawyers that, in terms of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Honourable Magistrate has the discretion and the power to dispense with the personal appearance of a party summoned to Court. Further, my Senior Attorney at Law informed Court that I have no intention to travel overseas at this stage, and therefore, I did not require any application to be made to vacate the overseas travel ban. Nevertheless, my Lawyers stated that they reserve the right to make an application pertaining to the travel ban at the appropriate stage, if a need arises for me to travel abroad. Accordingly, the Honourable Magistrate had re-fixed the Case for 2nd May 2022.
With regard to the several allegations made against me in the above Plaint, I wish to state that the said complaints are baseless and/or malicious and presented to Court by suppressing important material facts and all steps will be taken legally to refute them and present the correct facts to Court.
