The Colombo High Court has ordered the release of five defendants, including the former governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Ajith Nivard Cabral, who were accused of causing a loss of 1.84 billion rupees to the government by investing in Greek bonds in 2012. Sri Lanka Latest News
Ajith Nivard Cabral and other lawyers who appeared for the defendants had raised initial objections that the case filed by the Bribery Commission could not be handed over and maintained.
The judge accepted the initial objections and ordered the release of the accused.
Pronouncing the verdict, the judge mentioned that a director general had not been appointed under the new anti-corruption act on March 26, when the indictment against these defendants was signed as raised by the defendant.
The High Court Ombudsman pointed out that a director general was appointed under the new anti-corruption act on April 2, and accordingly, it was against the law for the director general appointed under the old act to sign a charge sheet presented under the new anti-corruption act.
Accordingly, the judge stated that since the validity of this charge sheet has been challenged in the eyes of the law, they will refuse to hand over the charge sheets to the defendants.
Accordingly, the High Court Judge had stated in his judgment that the defendants would be released.
