SC requests AG submissions explaining why Ranjan Ramanayake shouldn’t be prosecuted

The Supreme Court (SC) has requested the Attorney General (AG) to draft a charge sheet explaining as to why Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake shouldn’t be held in Contempt of Court and for the said document to be sent to the defendant.

The directive was made when the two petitions filed against Deputy Minister Ramanayake, accusing him of Contempt of Court, were taken up yesterday before a SC Judge bench comprising of Chief Justice Priyasath Dep and Justice Murdu Fernando.

Additional Solicitor General Priyantha Nawana, appearing on behalf of the AG, told the Court when the said case was taken up for hearing that the video footage containing the statement made by the Deputy Minister has been reviewed and that it has been agreed that at a glance the statement is in Contempt of Court.

Nawana told the Court that the SC convention dictates that the next course of action is for the AG to submit a charge sheet explaining why the defendant shouldn’t be held in Contempt of Court.

Raising objections to that request, President’s Counsel Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran, appearing on behalf of the defendant, told the Court that he objects to the drafting of the said document by the AG.

Sumanthiran argued that the document should be drafted according to the provisions of the Civil Procedure Code.

However, the SC ordered the AG to draft the said document while the case was postponed until 30 July.

Two petitions filed by Magalkande Sudaththa and retired Air Force Officer Sunil Perera was taken up for hearing at the SC.

The petitioners have charged that the defendant by giving a statement to the press on 21 August last year had allegedly branded the majority of the judges and attorneys in the country as being corrupt and that the said statement had given a warped image of the judiciary to the public and hence should be held as being in Contempt of Court.