Chief Justice questioned over alleged ‘coup’ plot

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has questioned Chief Justice Mohan Peiris in connection with the complaint regarding a coup attempt, which was allegedly hatched at Temple Trees on election night (January 8).

The CID has questioned and recorded a statement from Chief Justice Mohan Peiris today, Minister of Public Order, Disaster Management Christian Affairs, John Amaratunga said. 

The Chief Justice is among several individuals named in a complaint filed with the CID over the coup controversy.

The CID has also questioned former External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris and Western Provincial Council member Udaya Gammanpila regarding the complaint.

On January 15, Sri Lanka’s new foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera lodged a complaint with the CID requesting an investigation into the alleged last-minute coup attempt by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa after he lost the presidential elections.

Samaraweera said he had reliable information that Rajapaksa met with then Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Foreign Minister Gamini Peiris, Chief Justice Mohan Peiris and provincial politician Udaya Gammanpila when results showed he was losing the election,

The following day the CID today sought the Attorney General’s advice regarding the complaint while AG Yuwanjana Wanasundara Wijethilake had instructed them to proceed with an investigation as per usual.

However, Rajapaksa has denied the allegation in a series of tweets, saying he accepted the outcome long before the final official results were released and has always accepted the people’s verdict during his decades-long political career.

Spokespersons for both the Police and the Army have said they were unaware of any such requests by the former president.