SriLankan Airlines employee acquitted after 12 years

12 July 2023 01:06 pm - 8 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Negombo Additional Magistrate Darshima Premarathne acquitted and released a former employee of SriLankan Airlines from the charges of aiding and abetting one John Benedict to leave Sri Lanka illegally.

The accused, several others including two other employees of SriLankan Airlines were arrested at the Katunayake Airport on 10 August 2011 for allegedly aiding and abetting to leave some Sri Lankans in contravention of the provisions of the Immigrants and Emigrants Act.

The accused was a former employee of SriLankan Airlines and while he was at work on 10 August 2011 another employee of SriLankan Airlines, who was on leave at the time, had sent the names of some passengers through a SMS. The accused after receiving the SMS alerted the senior officer of SriLankan Airlines.

Thereafter, the CID arrested the accused and the other accused at the Katunayake Airport and produced them before the Negombo Magistrate’s court. While making his statement from the dock the accused told court that the other employees and the main accused who had taken money from the passengers in order to organize their departure from the country in contravention of the law, were discharged by the Attorney General as they could retain a former Attorney General as their lawyer soon after his retirement. Since the accused had no sufficient money to retain the former Attorney General who entered private practice after his retirement, the accused stated in court that he and his family members had to suffer for 12 long years for an offence that he had never committed.

The former employee who sent the SMS to the accused and the main accused who had obtained money from several passengers have been discharged by the Attorney General without charging them before court. Having considered the evidence of the prosecution and the dock statement of the accused, the Magistrate acquitted and discharge the accused from the charge stating that the prosecution has failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt. Senior Counsel Darshana Kuruppu with Dineru Bandara appeared for the accused.(Lakmal Sooriyagoda)

Comments - 8

Marcian Christopher Wednesday, 12 July 2023 01:40 PM

Justice delayed is justice denied. What is the relief an innocent person who suffered for 12 years on a false charge can obtain in this Paradise Isle of Sri Lanka?

Jayantha Wednesday, 12 July 2023 02:10 PM

So whereis this basl jokers. For 12 years he was suffering. At least now the basl should identify the existing cases with no proper trial for many years and immidietly solve those cases by forcig the parliament to make necessary legal modifications where necessary. Also courts data should be digitally recorded in future so that the process can be speesup. Also necessary legal updates need to be made so that lawyerrs will not get payments whenever the cases are phostphone without hearing for at least 1 hour. Currently lawyers are earning money without even providing any service when cases get phostphoned.

M Fernandopulle Wednesday, 12 July 2023 04:09 PM

Pls publish this post. Srilankan Airlines flight UL 0315 from KL to Cmb which was leave KL at 16 hours has been delayed indefinitely for want of maintenance/ spare parts. Announcement re delay made after 2.5 hours after protests from passengers. No apology or airline staff to be seen. Pls, pls publish this post. Mike

Sivalingam Wednesday, 12 July 2023 05:03 PM

Blunder of Asia, small debacle, sO corrupt.

Where is the integrity of Justice Wednesday, 12 July 2023 05:04 PM

Are we living in the era of King Midas? This case brings disrepute to the entire judicial system in the country! Where is dignity, integrity and justice. This happened just 11 years ago, and centuries or decades ago!

Malini P Wednesday, 12 July 2023 10:12 PM

The lawyers are the most un[pressional lot. Even a school kid will do a better job than this bunch of Jokers. If you had the experice of going thru a case you will know the suffuring and financial loss during the years that the cases are drawn. Due to the time lapse most of the case details would have been forgotten by the witnesses. If you are lucky and the lawyers turn up to the hearings, they will discuss the case details just before the court starts, thus presenting a half baked case. 75% of the time either your lawyer or the opposion lawyer will ask for the postponement as they have double booked themselves or have other engagement. There will be 3-4 months time period between dates will be given for hearing. It an absolute shambles how people are treated by the Justice system with no accountability of the lawyers.

Soma Thursday, 13 July 2023 03:22 AM

There are so many employees like this at srilankan!! Some are friends of namal who went to school with him

Ghostlanka Thursday, 13 July 2023 09:59 AM

@M Fernandopulle I empathize with you for this unrespectable service. They promote the quality of safety on most PR media announcements rather than the quality of flight time. It should be renamed as CBK Airlines. Passenger comfort quality is NIL. Did they not know in Advance they have no replacenent parts for the flight? Why schedule the flight in the 1st instance? Why are Ground Operations

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SriLankan Airlines employee acquitted after 12 years

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