AG calls for explanation from Acting IGP over non-compliance with his advice
February 7, 2020 03:19 pm
The Attorney General has directed the Acting IGP to submit an explanation before Monday with regard to the non-compliance with his advice to invoke the judicial process in interdicted High Court Judge Gihan Pilapitiya’s case.
On January 23, the Attorney General had instructed the Director of the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) to obtain a warrant and arrest interdicted High Court Judge Gihan Pilapitiya and to produce him before court.
The Attorney General directed the CCD to obtain a warrant and arrest the interdicted High Court Judge “for conspiring to fabricate false evidence” along with MP Ranjan Ramanayake.
On the same day, the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) C. D. Wickramaratne appointed a five-member committee to study the abstracts on the investigation on interdicted Judge Gihan Pilapitya.
The committee was also instructed to make recommendations on the Attorney General’s instructions to arrest interdicted Judge Pilapitiya.
Embilipitiya High Court Judge Gihan Pilapitiya was interdicted on January 22 over the controversial phone conversation he had with UNP MP Ranjan Ramanayake.
A series of audio recordings of phone conversations between the MP and several high-profile officials in the country including former Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Shani Abeysekara and three judges, were leaked to the media earlier this month.
Recordings contained phone conversations between the parliamentarian and Justice Gihan Pilapitiya, retired Judge Padmini Ranawaka, and Magistrate Dhammika Hemapala.
As per the Attorney General’s instructions, the CCD recorded statements from HC Judge Pilapitiya, Retired Judge Padmini Ranawaka and Magistrate Hemapala recently.
Meanwhile the Constitutional Council had decided to summon Attorney General Dappula de Livera before the Speaker of the Parliament Karu Jayasuriya to call for facts on his instructions over the arrest warrant on Justice Gihan Pilapitiya.
The Attorney General had met with the Speaker to discuss the matter on January 28.
