Summons on President, PM to appear in Court on 24 July

By T. Farook Thajudeen

Colombo High Court yesterday once again issued summons to President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to appear before court on 24 July, to give evidence in the case against UNP former General Secretary Tissa Attanayake. 

Attanayake was accused to have released a fraudulent document to the media during the last Presidential Election, aiming to impact the results of then Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena.

Yesterday, when the case was called for inquiry before High Court Judge Vickum Kaluarachchi, State Counsel Lakmini Girihagama informed Court that the two main witnesses in the case, President Maithripala Sirisena and the Prime Minister, had informed the prosecution that they will not be available to give evidence in the case due to their official work. Hence the case was postponed for July 24. In this case, fifteen witnesses, including President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, are listed to give evidence for the prosecution. Attanayake was held in remand custody for displaying a fraudulent document to the media on 22 December 2014, during the last Presidential Election intentionally to incite racial or religious hatred among ethnic communities.

He was charged under Section 3(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act. Tissa Attanayake had publicly challenged that there was a secret agreement between the then Common Opposition Candidate Maithripala Sirisena and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The Attorney General indicted Tissa Attanayake for: committing an offence under Section 3(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act No. 56 of 2AA7 by inciting racial or religious hatred among ethnic communities.