Counsel for Ramanayake stated that his client was reading for Bachelor’s degree and requested the court to direct the Prison authorities to provide necessary facilities
The Supreme Court was today informed that former Gampaha district Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake is currently reading for a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree while behind bars.
resident’s Counsel Anura Meddegoda appearing for Ramanayake who is currently serving a sentence of four years rigorous imprisonment, sought an order directing the prison authorities that adequate facilities be arranged for him tohave access to online studies for the first year’s second semester of BA degree program.
Meddegoda said his client is pursuing a degree program offered by Open University of Sri Lanka.
President’s Counsel Meddegoda made this request when the second contempt of court case against Ramanayake was called before the Supreme Court for inquiry.
A two judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice S. Thurairaja and Justice A.H.M.D. Nawaz referred the request for the attention of prison authorities.
On January 11, the Supreme Court convicted Ranjan Ramanayake for the offence of contempt of court and sentenced him to a term of four years rigorous imprisonment.
The second rule with contempt of court charges filed against Ranjan Ramanayake for allegedly making a derogatory statement regarding the Supreme Court was fixed for January 24.
The Supreme Court had served a rule pursuant to a complaint that Ranjan Ramanayake had made a comment on the media regarding an ongoing case at Supreme Court in a manner of insulting and damaging the reputation of the judiciary. It is alleged that the former State Minister had allegedly insulted the Supreme Court by publicly prejudging a fundamental rights violation petition which was filed over the dissolution of Parliament on October last year.
