Contempt petitions against Sanath Nishantha fixed for hearing

The hearing of three petitions filed against State Minister Sanath Nishantha, accusing him of contempt of court, are due to be taken up in court on 27 June. 

This order was issued by a bench comprising of Court of Appeal President Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and Justice A. Marikkar when the three plaints, filed by Attorneys-at-Law Priyalal Sirisena and Vijitha Kumara and the Judicial Officers’ Association, were taken up in court this morning (28 March). 

Deputy Solicitor General Lakmini Girihagama informed the court that the government analyst’s report on the concerned videotape, which displays the relevant defamatory statement made by the State Minister, has been received by the court. 

Subsequently, Romesh de Silva PC, appearing on behalf of the petitioners, requested that a date be fixed for the hearing of the petitions. 

Thus, the court ordered that the relevant petitions be heard on 27 June. 

Charges were filed against the State Minister, alleging that he had tarnished the honour and the image of the judiciary by expressing critical views on the manner in which the magistrates acted in granting bail to the suspects involved in the ‘Aragalaya’ protest movement while speaking during a media conference held at the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) headquarters on 23 August 2022.