Top judge contests findings against her

Sri Lanka’s first woman chief justice Shirani Bandaranayake, who awaits removal from the top post after being impeached by a parliamentary committee, yesterday challenged the findings of the panel in the court of appeal.

Bandaranayake petitioned the Court of Appeal seeking a writ order to declare the findings of the Parliamentary Select Committee illegal, her attorney Chrishmal Warnasuriya said.

The parliamentary committee on December 8 ruled that Bandaranayake was guilty of three of the 14 charges in the impeachment proceedings against her moved by the ruling UPFA coalition legislators.

The three charges were financial impropriety based on non-declaration of assets and conflict of interest in a case involving a failed investment company.

The 54-year-old chief justice denied all the charges against her. On December 6, she stormed out of the impeachment hearing in parliament, saying she will not be given a fair trial.

She also claimed verbal abuse by the government members of the parliamentary committee.

The government targets Bandaranayake in a media campaign to bring pressure on her to resign.

The opposition has claimed the whole process a political witch hunt.