Overseas travel ban issued on three accused including Johnston

Former Minister Johnston Fernando and two other defendants were again served indictments today at Colombo High Court today (Oct 11) for allegedly incurring a loss to the government by using the employees of Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (Sathosa) for political activities while serving as the Minister of Cooperatives and Internal Trade.

The indictments filed by the Bribery Commission were handed over to former Minister Johnston Fernando, former Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE) chairman Eraj Fernando and former CWE Working Director Mohamed Shakeer, when the relevant case was taken up today before Colombo High Court Judge Amal Ranaraja.

Later, the High Court judge, who ordered the defendants to be released on two cash bails each worth Rs. 50,000 and two personal bails each valued at Rs. 500,000, also called for a report on their fingerprint analysis.

Further, he ordered to impose an overseas travel ban on the three defendants including former Minister Johnston Fernando and to take up the case again on November 29.

During the administration of the former government, the Bribery Commission had lodged the case before Colombo Magistrate’s Court against Johnston Fernando and the other two accused for allegedly using 153 employees of Lanka Sathosa in political activities while serving as a minister between 2010 and 2014 and incurring a loss to the tune of Rs 40 million to the government.