Three-Judge Bench to Hear Contempt Case Against Wimal, Udaya, Dilith, And Others

COLOMBO (News 1st); A three-judge bench of the Court of Appeal has been appointed to consider a complaint forwarded by the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court against former Ministers Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila, along with several other individuals.

The matter was taken up before a bench comprising President of the Court of Appeal Rohantha Abeysuriya and Judge Priyantha Fernando today, following the referral made by the Colombo Fort Magistrate.

During the proceedings, President Judge Rohantha Abeysuriya announced that a three-member bench would be constituted to hear and determine the complaint.

Accordingly, the bench appointed to hear the case consists of President Judge Rohantha Abeysuriya, Judge Chamath Morais and Judge Adithya Patabendige.

The development comes from a complaint presented by the Criminal Investigation Department, which was considered by Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena.

Following the review of the submissions, the Magistrate recently determined that former Ministers Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila, Parliamentarian Dilith Jayaweera, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's private secretary Sugeeshwara Bandara, Asanka Navaratne and academic Mahinda Pathirana had allegedly committed contempt of court.

As a result, the Magistrate referred the complaint to the Court of Appeal for appropriate legal action under the Contempt of Court, Tribunal or Institution Act No. 08 of 2024.

The allegations arise from statements reportedly made during a satyagraha campaign conducted in July in protest against the arrest of former State Intelligence Service Director Suresh Salley. The Criminal Investigation Department informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court that remarks made by the individuals concerned during that protest allegedly amounted to contempt of court.