A special high court to conclude bribery, corruption cases within 2 yrs.

Jun 04, 2017

The government has decided to set up a special high court to take up all cases pertaining to the incidents of bribery and corruption that had allegedly taken place during the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime. One of the key election promises given by the present government was punishment for the corrupt. However, not a single case has so far been concluded. Therefore, legal quarters have noted to the president and the prime minister that a special high court should be set up to complete hearings of these cases within two years.

The chief justice has the powers to set up such a court on a request under the judicial organization act by the justice minister. A senior spokesman for the president’s office said the justice minister would make the request soon. Attempts to contact subject minister Wijedasa Rajapaksa for a comment failed.

Civil society organizations have been alleging an attempt to cover up the investigations into bribery and corruption under investigation by the FCID and the Bribery Commission, warning that such a situation would breach the public confidence in the government.

Parakrama Dissanayake