Colombo Chief Magistrate Buddhika C. Ragalatoday ordered the release of Minister of Road and Highways Johnston Fernando and two others from three corruption cases, following the Bribery Commission’s decision to withdraw them.
The Bribery Commission had filed corruption cases against Minister Johnston Fernando, former CWE (Lak Sathosa) Chairman ErajFernando and former Minister’s Private Secretary Raj Mohideen Mohammad Sakeer for allegedly causing a loss of Rs.40 million to the government by employing 153 employees of the Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE) for election work during the period 2010 to 2014.
The Bribery Commission informed court it has decided to withdraw the case filed against three accused reserving rights to file a fresh case with the written sanction of three commissioners of the Bribery Commission.
The Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption filed these corruption cases against three accused under Section 70 of the Bribery Act on three charges
The Bribery Commission alleged that the first accused Johnston Fernando had unlawfully employed 153 employees for election work during the period 2010 to 2014, while Minister Johnston Fernando was serving as the Cooperative and Internal Trade Minister.
