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Rishad’s lawyers have exerted undue influence on judge: Justice Minister
By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana
Parliament, Dec. 4 (Daily Mirror)- Some lawyers who have been retained by MP Rishad Bathiudeen had exerted undue influence on a judge who was hearing one of his cases, Minister of Justice Wijedasa Rajapaksha alleged in Parliament today.
“MP Bathiudeen’s lawyers have influenced Judge A.H.M.D. Nawaz regarding a Human Rights case of Bathiudeen. The junior, who was retained by the MP for the paricular HR case had phoned Judge Nawaz the previous night and had informed that his senior wanted to conclude the case under him. On the following morning, the senior lawyer had then talked to the judge and had told him not to appear for the case,” Minister Rajapaksha said.
“Judge Nawaz had brought the matter up with the Chief Justice and recused himself from the case. Judge Janak De Silva, who initially took up the case had recuse himself from the case and then judge Samayawardene and Yasantha Kodagoda also had opted out without hearing the case. I don’t want to reveal the reason behind the withdrawal of Kodagoda,” he added.
The Minister said this in response to a statement by MP Bathiudeen during the committee stage debate of the Justice Ministry on Saturday, claiming that judge Nawaz was not taking up cases of Muslims and he was cursing the judge.
“It was sad to note MP Bathiudeen cursing a judge,” he said.
MP Bathiudeen who responded said he will make a special statement on the issue tomorrow.
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