By Colombo Telegraph –

The Lawyers for the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani A. Bandaranayake replied to the allegations related to her bank accounts in the impeachment motion. It replies the most serious four charges on finances. According her lawyers all operative bank accounts have been declared by her. Only accounts not declared are those which are closed or with zero balances- so there are no assets. The much talked of apartment is bought by her sister and brother in law- engineers in Australia who have sent all monies through the Bank. 

Her Lawyers  Neelakandan and Neelakandan wrote to three major media companies re the allegations. We below publish the letter wrote to MTV/MBC .

The News Director
MTV/ MBC
No.4413, Braybrook Street
Colombo 02.

Dear Sir,

We are the Lawyers for Dr. Shirani A. Bandaranayake.

Publicity has been given in various newspapers regarding allegations against our  Client

At present, we bring the following facts regarding her bank accounts and remittances  to your attention and through you, to the Public.  Our Client has been banking exclusively with the National Development Bank (NBD)  since  2010. Our  Client  has declared  all  operative  accounts  that have assets in  her  declaration of assets and liabilities. The Bank has informed our Client that there are a  few non-operative accounts which contain zero balances. There may be non-operative  accounts in  other banks which  our Client operated prior to 30th October 1996, which  our Client believes have been closed.  Our Client was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court on 30th October 1996. Since  then no money whatsoever has been remitted to our Client from abroad or from this  country save and  except from her immediate family (inclusive of her sister) and her  official remuneration.  Our Client’s sister and her husband, who  are employed  as professional  engineers in  Australia, reserved an apartment (for purchase by them) when they were in Sri Lanka.

Thereafter from  time  to  time,  our  Client’s sister  (through her  Australian  bank)  remitted sums of Australian dollars for the purchase of the Apartment. This was later  converted to Sri Lankan Rupees by NDB. In Sri Lankan Rupees it was approximately  Rs.27 Million. Our Client, by cheques, directly remitted to the seller in installments a  sum of approximately Rs 27 Million. The Bank has confirmed these transactions.

The sum of Rs.34 Million mentioned in your news item is not accurate. The sum of  Rs.19  Million approximately  mentioned in  your  news item is  a part of  the  aforementioned purchase consideration of approximately Rs.27  million. There  was  never a remittance of Rs 34 Million into our Client’s account.

In the circumstances, in summary:

(a)  our Client has declared all her operative bank  accounts having assets in her  declaration of assets and liabilities; and

(b)  after her appointment  as  a judge of  the  Supreme Court our Client  has  not  received any remittances from anyone in Sri Lanka or abroad save and except  the remuneration as a judge and the remittances from her immediate family.

Thus clearly there has been no financial impropriety on her part.  Our Client totally denies the other allegations and can easily refute them.  Our Client instructs us to state that she will, as always, continue to duly and properly  discharges her duties without fear or favour; she will do so, independently, impartially  and fearlessly in accordance with the Law.

Read the original text sent to MTV here

Read the original text sent to ‘The Island’ Newspaper here

Read the original text sent to ‘Ceylon Today’ Newspaper here