Arrest warrant issued on Energy Secretary Batagoda
March 22, 2017 10:42 am
Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today issued an arrest warrant on the Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy Dr. B.M.S. Batagoda for failing to appear before courts on a bribery case against former Deputy Minister Sarana Gunawardena.
The two cases filed by the Bribery Commission against Gunawardena for failing to declare assets during the two years he served as the chairman of the National Lotteries Board, were taken up at court today (22).
Dr. Batagoda, who has been named as the first witness in both cases, had failed to appear before the court today. Therefore Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe Bandara ordered that the ministerial secretary be arrested and produced at court.
Although a representative on behalf of Dr. Batagoda had appeared at the court today, the magistrate stated that a representative cannot appear on his behalf as the order was personally made to the witness.
The case was postponed till July 06.
