Cabraal says will inform SC if leaving abroad
Former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and former Finance Ministry Secretary S. R. Artigala yesterday made a pledge before the Supreme Court that they will not go abroad until today (15).
Former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said before Court through his counsel that he will not go abroad without obtaining the approval of the Supreme Court.
The counsel who appeared for Former Finance Ministry Secretary S. R. Artigala also made a pledge that his client will not go abroad till today.
These pledges were given by the counsels who appeared for them when a motion related to a petition filed seeking an investigation against the people responsible for the current economic crisis was taken up before the Supreme Court yesterday.
The motion was taken up before the Supreme Court five-Judge-bench comprising Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, Justices Bhuwaneka Aluwihare, Priyantha Jayawardena, Vijith Malalgoda and L.T.B Dehideniya.
The Court also imposed a travel ban against former Central Bank Governor W.D. Lakshman due to the absentia of a counsel on behalf of him, while the Counsels appeared before the Court on behalf of the other respondents.
President’s Counsel Gamini Marapana appearing for former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa informed the Court that his clients will not go abroad until today.
President’s Counsel Shavindra Fernando appearing for Former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal, informed the Court that at the moment his client does not intend to go abroad.
Therefore, Shavindra Fernando PC made a pledge that his client will not go abroad without obtaining permission from the Supreme Court.
He also highlighted that the Colombo and Fort Magistrate Courts have already imposed travel bans preventing his client from traveling abroad. Accordingly, he said that his client has no intention of going abroad at this time.
President’s Counsel Chandaka Jayasundara appearing for the petitioners said that the petition had been fixed for consideration on July 27 before.
However, due to the crisis that occurred in the country on July 09, there are reports that the President has also left the country, and the media has reported that the former Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksa left the country the day before yesterday, he said.
The President’s Counsel pointed out that Basil Rajapaksa had booked his flight tickets last Monday evening when this motion was filed and alleged that he had organized his foreign trip in a planned manner.
Basil Rajapaksa spent 5.3 million rupees and bought the air tickets and it was mentioned in the air tickets that the date of return is March 02, 2023, He added.
He also mentioned that the respondent former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is completely missing and no one knows if he is still in this country.
The President’s Counsel further stated that if these respondents go abroad, it will have a detrimental effect on the reliefs requested by this petition, and in such a case, there will be a big obstacle for the future investigations.
The President’s Counsel questioned how to ensure that these respondents do not go abroad and pointed out that it is essential to immediately issue an order to prevent the relevant respondents from going abroad.
Due to the announcement of curfew at the time of consideration of this petition yesterday, the bench decided to fix the petition for further consideration till today.
This motion was filed in relation to the fundamental rights petition that has been filed seeking an order to conduct an investigation against the people responsible for bankrupting the country and the public by following short-sighted economic measures and acting without proper management.
The petition was filed by former Chamber of Commerce Chairman Chandra Jayaratne, swimming champion Julian Bowling, Jehan Kanegaratne and Transparency International Sri Lanka.
The Petition has cited the Attorney General on behalf of the President, former Minister of Finance and former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, current Minister of Finance and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, former Governors of the Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Dr. W.D Lakshman, former Ministers of Finance Basil Rajapaksa, Ali Sabry, Former Secretary to the Ministry of Finance S.R. Artigala, the Bar Association of Ceylon President Saliya Peiris, PC and 13 others as the respondents.
The petitioners allege that the country is currently in a state of bankruptcy and the people are in dire straits due to the unwise economic policies and inefficient administration pursued by the respondents.
The petition alleges that this has made it difficult for the people to access essential services such as fuel, electricity, food and medicine. The petition states that due to this situation, Sri Lanka has been listed as a country that cannot repay foreign loans and this has brought more disrepute to the country internationally.
The petition points out that the tax concessions granted unnecessarily by the respondents in 2019 were one of the reasons for this economic crisis. The petitioners also allege that the failure to seek the assistance of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at the right time during the economic crisis has led to such a crisis in the country.