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Judge Warawewa says request for extension refused

19 April 2012 03:04 am - 18     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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High Court Judge W.T.M.P.B. Warawewa has revealed that a request made by the Attorney-General’s Department to further extend his term of office by a year to enable him to hear several pending cases has been refused by the Chief Justice.

 “The Attorney General’s Department requested that I be reappointed to hear and conclude several important cases including the Town Hall bomb case and High Court fraud case.

These cases have reached their tail end. However that request was not accepted by the Chief Justice. I am aware that the High Court Commissioners of Jaffna, Trincomalee and Badulla have been granted further extensions and I do not know why my term of office was not extended,” Justice Warawewa said in an e-mail interview with Daily Mirror.

Judge Warawewa, who wrote the dissenting judgement acquitting former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka of all charges in the ‘White Flag’ case, was originally due to retire in January 2011. However, his term was extended on a request by the AG’s Department to permit him to hear and conclude many partly heard cases.

The former High Court Judge also expressed discontent over the treatment meted out to judges, and asserted that successive governments have ignored the plight of judges and court staff.

“It is regrettable that even after 64 years of independence none of the governments that took office have looked into the plight of judges and court staff,” he said. “Judges have never been given adequate facilities. In most places of the country there is a shortage of official residences. Sometimes millions are spent for building a courts complex but an official residence for the judge is forgotten altogether.

A huge budget is allocated to the Ministry of Justice every year but instead of spending the funds for developing infrastructure, court room facilities and improving facilities for the court staff and the litigants, it is spent thriftily to show a balance at the end of the financial year.”

“Recently the salaries of High Court judges have been taxed. Due to the shortage of official bungalows, sometimes judges are required to find a place of their own and the amount paid to a judge to rent a house in Colombo is only Rs.18,000,” Judge Warawewa said.

“If the Ministry of Justice is really interested in providing these pressing needs, even a period of three months would be adequate time. If official residences are built for judges, the expenditure incurred can be recovered within 10-15 years from the amount deducted as rent from the salaries of the judges,” he added. (Ayesha Zuhair)


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  Comments - 18

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  • B.Fernando Thursday, 19 April 2012 11:37 AM

    Honest people have no place in the corrupt lawless Banana Republic.

    Ruwan Sunday, 22 April 2012 05:35 PM

    ya he should come to politics

    Ruwan Saturday, 21 April 2012 04:35 PM

    sir please come to politics to change this country

    lal Friday, 20 April 2012 06:51 AM

    Well said sir.

    wasa Friday, 20 April 2012 06:44 AM

    Well done sir. People like you are rear and you could be a proud man.

    Lion Friday, 20 April 2012 12:38 AM

    Well done sir you will be rememberd by the Srilankan as one of the best judges Srilanka ever had.Those who stoop to degreadable level for verious reasons will end up in the dust bin.Theruwan Saranai.

    Udeni Jayath Senevir Thursday, 19 April 2012 05:22 PM

    Hats off to you sir, Thanking you and Theruwan Saranai

    Ruwan Thursday, 19 April 2012 03:47 PM

    your the best judge in srilankan history.people respect you like their own mothers & fathers.

    Hats off to you sir........

    Joe Perera Thursday, 19 April 2012 11:55 AM

    Anther Gentleman leaves public service Weldon sir,people will all ways respect you ,when drug lords,Taxi drivers and pizza boys from USA are welcomed run a island,what a dump country

    lankaman Thursday, 19 April 2012 05:58 AM

    This is the plight of all duty minded public servants of Sri Lanka. Justice Warawewa may take consolation in the fact he was not imprisoned on false charges for his white flag judgment. The country has gone to the dogs and benefits go to backbone-less corrupt civil servants who stoop too low to please the rulers by hook or by crook

    joker Thursday, 19 April 2012 10:30 AM

    tit for tat!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    hemantha Thursday, 19 April 2012 09:55 AM

    "White Flag" haunting

    Thrishantha Thursday, 19 April 2012 09:45 AM

    These nobel judges will be remembered by the Nation for years to come. The others who abets injustice in the name of their country, religion, or tribe, will first watch in regret how those entitites lose moral high grounds, and then one day be shocked to find themselves impounded with injustice from the very circles they contributed to pollute.

    Rohan Thursday, 19 April 2012 09:10 AM

    Well - they could still file a acase against him and lock him up! He is not Duminda to be taken to Singapore by powerful people.

    saman Thursday, 19 April 2012 08:58 AM

    Good work sir, the nation salutes you

    Roshan Thursday, 19 April 2012 08:56 AM

    sri lanka patriotism nothing is nothing but corrupted and deadly narrow minded politics

    Hoodwinked Thursday, 19 April 2012 08:12 AM

    This is the prize for having a strong backbone and not stooping to low levels. You are gentlemen to the core who will not fall for crumbs and throwaways from the high and mighty who are ruling this country like their own fiefdom. But sir be assured that gods mill grinds slowly but surely.

    Osanda Thursday, 19 April 2012 08:14 AM

    No placein the sociaty for man with honour....Hats off sir ...well done for the services rended during your time Sir


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