The Colombo High Court today ordered the discharge of former Parliamentarian Sajin Vass Gunawardena from a corruption case filed against him by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption for allegedly causing a sum of Rs. 883 million in unlawful loss to Mihin Lanka Airlines while he was functioning as the Chief Executive Officer of Mihin Lanka.
The Commission alleged that the former MP had awarded a contract to a private company contrary to the accepted tender procedure between June 27, 2008, and May 29, 2008, in violation of the law.
At the outset of the investigation before Colombo High Court, defence counsel Shavendra Fernando PC took up a preliminary objection, contending that a suspect once acquitted from a case cannot be charged for the same offence in another court of law.
The defence counsel took up the position that once a judge acquits a suspect from a case after a trial, there is no provision in law to frame charges against the person on the same charges. The counsel said it was bad and contrary to the law.
After having considered the defence legal argument, High Court Judge Damith Totawatte decided to discharge Sajin Vaas Gunawardena from the case.
