In an unprecedented deviation from decades of legal tradition in this country the de facto Chief Justice Mohan Pieris has invited his political backers to an event otherwise reserved for serving judges Colombo Telegraph learns from judicial sources.
Pieris and Gotabaya
For over a century Chief Justices have invited only serving judges and their spouses to the Annual Judges conference and dinner. This unbroken tradition was flouted by the de facto Chief Justice who owes a debt of gratitude to Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and a selected cabal of cronies for the machinations to place him in his current position in violation of the constitution of Sri Lanka.
At this year’s annual judges dinner hosted by the de facto Chief Justice Mohan Pieris on 14th December at his official residence there were three unusual guests, handpicked and invited by Pieris himself. When the cocktail commenced, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Central Bank Central Bank Governor, Ajith Nivad Cabraal arrived followed by Palitha Fernando, the Attorney General. It is well known that Mohan Pieris, Ajith Nivard and Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa form an unofficial cabal that meets often at the Central Bank to decide on judicial matters. Mohan Pieris is in fact the handpicked appointee of Gotabaya Rajapaksa. In addition Mohan Pieris and Nivard Cabraal share many nefarious business interests. It is reported that when Gotabaya Rajapaksa arrived with hundreds of security guards and vehicles, the judges and their vehicles had to be moved out.
Although Mohan Pieris took great pains to introduce some of the judges to his ‘handlers’ many of the judges present avoided such interactions both in anger and embarrassment, Sources told the Colombo Telegraph.
Several judges informed the Colombo Telegraph that they were shocked by the invitations extended to the Defence Secretary and the Central Bank Governor. They expressed their dismay at de facto Chief Justice Pieris flouting judicial tradition and practice which have been in place to ensure the independence of the judiciary, especially from the reach of the executive.
Thamara / December 19, 2013
If the judges know that this man is flouting all judicial traditions and practice, don’t they have the backbone to vacate their posts following what the Pakistan Judiciary did sometime back.
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Don Stanley / December 19, 2013
Judges should boycott the dinner!
Today the concept of CONFLICT OF INTEREST and CHECK AND BALANCES on power seem to NOT exist in Sri Lanka – at all levels leading to a putrid governance record.
Sri Lanka desperately needs a CLEAN AND INTELLIGENT leader with a brain who is capable of CONCEPTUAL THINKING to get it out of the mess that Rajapassa has made.
Once international sanctions are imposed on Sri lanka there Cabraal will not be able to borrow endless amounts of money ($1.5 billion)on international markets. The economy will crash and Rajapassa will be on for a WAR CRIMES TRIAL IN THE HAGUE.
When this happens Lanka needs a leader who will make clear to the SINHALAYA MODAYAS that international sanctions are against the CORRUPT AND CRIMINAL Jarapassa regime and not the people of Sri Lanka. Let ups hope that Madam Chandrika Bandaranaiayake comes forward, because the UNP is dead as a Dodo today!
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PunchiEki / December 19, 2013
WHERE IS THOSE POWERFUL LANKEN KIND OF LAW ASSOCIATIONS ? Where is that Wijedasa Rajapkshe ?
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mj / December 19, 2013
some behave like buggers,not like judgers in sri lanka.
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PunchiEki / December 19, 2013
Why could not they deny this ? I mean the judges even if they felt that broke all traditions.
Quoted from above:
“Several judges informed the Colombo Telegraph that they were shocked by the invitations extended to the Defence Secretary and the Central Bank Governor. They expressed their dismay at de facto Chief Justice Pieris flouting judicial tradition and practice which have been in place to ensure the independence of the judiciary, especially from the reach of the executive”
I think these judges have no self confidence though they are appointed as Judges.
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Sowden Edward Asange / December 19, 2013
talking about perks and Duty free permits…. these are spineless judges who took oath to safeguard justice, sadly they are spineless in front of their handler, like a snake in front of the charmer… Why could The so called judges who felt bad drive away when asked to move their vehicles… It’s all a game.. … You scratch my back I scratch yours….
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Sowden Edward Asange / December 19, 2013
couldnt*
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sarojini / December 19, 2013
Was Chandrika invited to the last dinner hosted by Shiranee Bandaranayake ? Time for recollection .
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Sowden Edward Asange / December 20, 2013
EVEN if she was, she may have been invited in the capacity as a head of state, who is Gota again? and Cabral? excuse me?
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sarojini / December 20, 2013
THE INVITATION DID NOT COME WHEN CBK WAS HEAD OF STATE . IT HAPPEBNED WHEN SHIRANI B WAS THE CJ . WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ?CBK WAS NOT THE HEAD OF STATE WHEN SB WAS THE CJ .GET YOUR FACTS FIRST EDWARD SNOWDEN .
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Dodo / December 19, 2013
Sri Lanka needs an Anna Hazare and a Lok Pal bill so that the President and his corrupt family and cronies like Mihan Peries and Nivard Cabraal may be tried in open court.
Meanwhile, look forward to the War Crimes Trial of Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gota the white van goon in the near future.
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Fathima Fukushima / December 19, 2013
Kothapaya is everywhere.
UN, UDA, MOD, parliament, TNA, NPC, Tamil Madu, etc.
Tamils are worshiping Kothapaya’s lingam nowadays.
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cool runnings / December 19, 2013
Right on Fat Fuk!
And de facto CJ Mohan is licking Gota’s lingam as are the rest of the Sinhalaya Modayas who vote Jarapassa into office!
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Palmsquirrell / December 22, 2013
Aren’t you butt kissing the Muslims, most of whom are ethnically Tamil.
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james / December 19, 2013
The judges should have walked out!
The judges should have walked out.. no point in telling stories afterwards..
Sri Lankans need to learn what it is to have self respect
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Dr Arun Vincent / December 19, 2013
By introducing the judges to Gota, CJ is telling the judges to follow his corrupted ways of means to stay on the job. Mohan, why did you go wrong?
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PunchiEki / December 19, 2013
Can anybody please clear me what laws could work against a country’s CJ ? Earlier it was not even possible country’s CJ to take a photo with any of the RULING govt figures. But why do the authorities -LAW allow all these today ?
Great if any law professional could add constructive inputs in this regard. Why is that the tendency of breaking all/ traditions or standards are on a rise in the country today ? SITUATION is becoming more like in SOMALIA ?
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crazyoldmansl / December 19, 2013
What gratitude? This is fear. Anyone can see it.
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Safa / December 19, 2013
The ultimate axis of evil. The corrupt banker who has swindled billion in EPF / ETF funds. The corrupt judge who subverts justice. And the military dictator who grabs private lands and denies the rights of the common people.
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Safa / December 19, 2013
“Lalith Kotalawala had been subjected to a miscarriage of justice whereby the prosecutor who filed the action against him had himself heard the case . This most depraved and deplorable judicial hearing involved the attorney general (AG) Mohan Peiris who filed the charges then against Kotalawala, hearing the case now against Kotalawala the accused . When the case was heard today Peiris the former AG and present chief justice sat as the judge in this case.
It is Incredible but true ! Peiris after ordering the confiscation of assets of Kotalawala , and sending Kotalawala to jail , Peiris himself got appointed to the post of chairman of Seylan Bank after displacing Kotalawala from that seat.
Now, it is this same Pieris who is also hearing the case No. S C F R 191/2009 filed by Golden Key depositors in the Supreme Court (SC)” – lankaenews.com
This man does not know what justice is about.
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Mahamega / December 19, 2013
These so-called judges have already betrayed the trust place in them by the people. In simplest sense these people lacks integrity. They deserve far worse treatment than this for undermining the judicial independence in this country. In fact, this is what happen when people served in the public service (attorney general’s department), who shamelessly washed dirty linen of the party in power, appointed to the judiciary.
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Martha / December 19, 2013
The image tells it all. The most subservient stooge Mohan Peiris pays his homage to Defence Secrataty, who is cool like ice, before this trailer.
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Mahamudali / December 19, 2013
No, for me this image is like a fearful student who is confronted with his school principal at his office.
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Citizen / December 19, 2013
Independence of Judiciary – ha ha ha
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Sowden Edward Asange / December 19, 2013
CORRESCTION…… Dependents of the secretary…
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Sowden Edward Asange / December 19, 2013
LOL……..correction*
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Attorney / December 19, 2013
Why did not AG Parlitha Fernando run away, like he did when Upul Jayasuriya was inducted as President of BASL, when De Jure Chief Justice arrive? Shameless!!!!!!
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Mahela / December 19, 2013
Let the crabs dance in the pot until water get boil. CHOGM was the beginning of the song for dancing crabs. Let’s see how the song and the dance ends.
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Sun / December 20, 2013
Yes Mahela@,
CHOGM backfired all their aims in every means. Now the conspiracy to sack the PM. There are rumours that idiotic MP – Fernando called his relative in dept of customs in term of the HEROIN load that state media resound is being investigated.
Now, we are clear CHOGM truly worked as an advert to entire world spreading the ground reality of the Island, once upon a time they named as one of the beautiful paradises on the planet.
Today, tabloid says – even UNSC was mistaken in terms of lanken issue.
Coming colour is not good for the Alibaba and 40 thieves. Sooner than they think.
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Selwyn / December 19, 2013
De Facto CJ is another opportunist like NC and many other minions, now in unexpected elevated positions. Very fortunate indeed, but for how long?
Present Learned Judges and other Men of the Bar do not understand the words – OATH and ETHICS.
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Thanga / December 20, 2013
This comes as no surprise. This is the norm now, a politicised judiciary which gives judgements at the bidding of the executive president. The rot started In 1999, when Sarath Silva was appointed as the chief justice by his onetime personal friend Chandrika Kumaratunga, bypassing several Sri Lanka’s rights friendly judges.
Sarath Silva gave judgement based on his whims and fancies. His ruling on the Northeast merger was one sided and influenced by personal bias. He did not rely on the evidence led before the court, but on his own admission on reading the history of the eastern province.
Under his tenure, the authority of Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court was irretrievably undermined by a spate of judgments determined on personal or political considerations. In Helping Hambantota case he saved his friend Mahinda Rajapaksa who otherwise should have earned a jail sentence for diverting Treasury funds to his personal bank accounts.
It is self-evident that though the Defence Secretary who was pumping petrol in California is now the de facto president of Sri Lanka. He was vehemently opposed to the holding of the elections to the Northern Provincial Council that tantamount to the subversion of the country’s constitution.
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MrRetort / December 20, 2013
After eating the country, political Cabbas and Gottas have started eating the Judiciary which is offered to them on platter by another Magodis Pappa. God only knows what is happening to Sri Lanka
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Palmsquirrell / December 22, 2013
I suppose it has come to the point where Pieris feels there is no need to keep up the charade of judicial impartiality because no one is buying it.
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Backlash / December 23, 2013
Our “Honourable” CJ cringing, in this picture, before GR tells it all.
“It is well known that Mohan Pieris, Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa form an unofficial cabal that meets often at the Central Bank TO DECIDE ON JUDICIAL MATTERS” So there we are.
It is a replay of Idi-Amin’s Uganda of decades gone by. The UN and the Donor community might take note of the state of our independence judiciary and the public confidence our Courts enjoy.
Backlash
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kabaragoya / December 23, 2013
Stupid Modan Peiris is standing wringing his arms next to the war criminal Kothapaiya. Such is the majesty of Sri Lankan law.
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shankar / December 23, 2013
Cheap Justice invited Gota because it is cheap to feed him because he is a vegetarian.Cheap Justice is trying to save some money for the taxpayer which is very laudable indeed.Just imagine if he had asked mahinda to come and he came with all his meat eating retinue and hangers on of hundreds the Justice depts budget would have been finished.
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