10 January 2020 12:14 am
The exposure of audio recordings taken into custody by the Police from the residence of Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake exposed the nudity of the Yahapalana Government led by Prime Ranil Wickremesinghe, Government spokesman and Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday.
“It was the previous regime that went to town saying that they, by introducing the 19th Amendment to the Constitution restored democracy, judicial and press freedom, established independent commissions, strengthened the rule of law and did many more to promote the concept of good governance but in fact has done the opposite of it,” he said.
Minister Rambukwella urged the Chief Justice on behalf of the government to take appropriate steps to arrest the erosion of confidence on the judiciary among the public triggered from the exposure of audio recordings taken into custody by the Police from the residence of MP Ramanayaka last week.
State Minister Rambukwella told the media that the government could take political and legal steps in respect of about 121,000 CDs but the damage caused to the judiciary and judges has to be addressed by the CJ as the head of the judiciary and the Judicial Service Commission.
Minister Rambukwella added that the President or the government had no authority or legal powers to take action on ethical and legal issues related to the judiciary but the damage caused to the judicial system of the country and judges by the exposure was extremely harmful and affect the prestige and honour of the entire country making it impossible to remain ignored. (Sandun A Jayasekera)
Pix by Kithsiri De Mel