Ex-CJ's order overruled
The Supreme Court on Friday annulled an earlier order preventing probe into alleged criminal charges against Negombo police.
The earlier order issued by former Chief Justice (CJ) Sarath Nanda Silva was stripped by the new CJ Asoka de Silva on Friday. The previous order prevented investigating criminal charges against six police officers including the OIC of Negombo police. The bribery commission had earlier filed a case against the police officers alleging that they had threatened witnesses to a bribery case in the Colombo magistrates court. Subsequently the police officers including the OIC Negombo police Somasiri Liyanage in a petition to the Supreme Court requested to suspend the hearing the case. Former CJ Sarath Nanda Silva issuing an order prevented probing the criminal case against the police officers. The bribery commission on Friday making a complaint told the court the witnesses to bribery cases are discouraged to give evidence as a result of the ruling. The three-member bench chaired by the new CJ Asoka de Silva annulled the previous order and ordered the case be heard in Colombo magistrates court.