Corruption cases against Johnston Fernando to be taken on 25 Aug.

By T. Farook Thajudeen

The Colombo Chief Magistrate yesterday fixed for 25 August to give his pronouncements on the objections raised by the defence against amending of charges in five corruption cases filed against former Minister Johnston Fernando and two others.

They were alleged to have caused Rs. 40 million losses to the Government by employing 153 employees of the Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE) for election work from 2010 to 2014.

When the case was taken up for inquiry, Counsel Kalinga Indatissa PC defending the accused objected for amending the charges in the plaint and said it was unlawful under Section 70 of the Bribery Act to amend the charges.

Consequently, the Magistrate postponed the case for 25 August to pronounce his standing. The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption had charged the accused under Section 70 of the Bribery Act on three counts.

Senior State Counsel Thusith Mudalige with Ganga Heiyantuduwa of the Commission appeared for the prosecution.