26 March 2019 03:39 pm
Court of Appeal today deferred for May 6 the writ petition filed by former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa challenging the order of the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar in the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum Case.
The Bench comprised Justices Achala Wengappuli and Arjuna Obeysekere.
Court of Appeal on March 12 directed Mr. Rajapaksa to re-issue notices on the respondents cited -- sitting judges of the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar, Sampath Abeyakoon (President), Sampath Wijeratne and Champa Janaki Rajaratne and the Attorney General.
Romesh de Silva PC with Ali Shabry PC, Sugath Caldera, Ruwantha Cooray and Harith de Mel instructed by Sanath Wijeyawardane appeared for the petitioner while Senior Deputy Solicitor General Milinda Gunatilleke, Deputy Solicitor General Dileep Peiris, Senior State Counsel Wasantha Perera and State Counsel Uthara Karunatilake appeared for the Attorney General.
The Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar in its order overruled the preliminary objections raised by Mr. Gotabaya and the six accused in this case.
The petitioner seeks Court to quash the HC order rejecting his plea in terms of the Judicature (amendment) Act No.9 of 2018. (S.S. Selvanayagam)