The Colombo Magistrate’s Court Thursday for the second time postponed the bribery case against former Minister of Civil Aviation and Joint Opposition parliamentarian Priyankara Jayaratne and another suspect.
The Joint Opposition MP is charged with creating a non-existent position in the Civil Aviation Authority during the previous government and unlawfully pressuring the board to appoint his private secretary to the post.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption filed the case against former Minister Priyankara Jayaratne and his private secretary B. Dayawansa under section 70 of the Bribery Act on five charges.
The Bribery Commission alleged that the former Minister had unlawfully appointed B. Dayawansa as the Development Plan Coordinating Officer from 2011 to 2012, while he was serving as the Civil Aviation Minister.
When the case was called Thursday, MP Jayaratne and his personal secretary, B. Dayawansa appeared before the court.
President’s Counsel Shavindra Fernando, appearing on behalf of the Defendants, informed the Court that the case should be postponed since he was due to appear before the Supreme Court.
The attorney representing the Bribery Commission stated that the case has been postponed at the last hearing also.
Accordingly, the case was postponed to June 19 by the Colombo Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe Bandara on the request of the defendant’s lawyer.
