The government of Sri Lanka has decided to impeach two Supreme Court judges namely Rohini Marasinghe and Sarath De Abrew sources close to Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapakshe told Colombo Telegraph.
Justice Rohini Marasinghe
According to the sources the government had concluded investigations into judge Rohini Marasinghe and especially her husband who was operating a legal consultancy that had direct links to the cases that was presided by his wife and her work concerned.
Judge Sarath De Abrew on the other hand who has a history of violent behavior, currently has a case pending against him at the Mount Lavinia Magistrates Courts filed by a woman who was assaulted by him with a pistol. The woman in concern had initially recorded her statement with the Mount Lavinia Police earlier on the 26th of June 2015.
In an earlier related incident Judge De Abrew had gone on to display his violent streak in the Business Lounge of the Bangalore airport where he verbally abused his colleagues when returning from a Judges conference. In that particular incident on the 23rd April 2013, he was reported to be boisterous for over a ten minute period. During that time Judge De Abrew had gone on to hit one of his colleagues with a bottle of water leaving many other onlooking passengers at the Business Class Lounge in awe.
This move comes in the wake as the government is on a drive to bring about discipline and professionalism to the judiciary.
The mop up operation to debar unscrupulous elements especially among the Supreme Court judges themselves, has already commenced with disciplinary inquiries being held for district judges and magistrates who were involved in politics and misconduct.
According to our source, the government has already concluded inquiries regarding many other judges who were in question.
Harry Hatton / September 30, 2015
The same rule that applies to MPs that they cannot be dual citizens should apply to judges of supreme court. Otherwise they have split loyalties and consider sri lanka judiciary as a mere way of accumulating money in every way (bribes etc) to retire to a foreign country and live in comfort.They think sri lanka is a toilet where they can let off their smell and then fly to their real country smelling of perfume. Mr and Mrs marasinghe are canadian citizens like Gota and Basil.
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paul / September 30, 2015
You are sadly mistaken mate. As far as I can see Sri Lankans living overseas are mostly law abiding citizens free of corruption. Many are those who left the shore of Lanka since they could not stomach the stench any more. Gota is a model citizen highly disciplined and completely free of corruption. It is Lanka’s loss and other countries gain that this is happening.
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Harry Hatton / September 30, 2015
The same rule that applies to MPs that they cannot be dual citizens should apply to judges of supreme court. Otherwise they have split loyalties and consider sri lanka judiciary as a mere way of accumulating money in every way (bribes etc) to retire to a foreign country and live in comfort.They think sri lanka is a toilet where they can let off their smell and then fly to their real country smelling of perfume. Mr and Mrs marasinghe are canadian citizens like Gota and Basil .
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Treehorse / September 30, 2015
I also hope that Yahapalanaya would increase the pace of the hearing of the on-going trials so as to expedite the judgement. There are cases which is still pending for more than 25 years and hearing is on going.
Justice delayed is justice denied.
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sanath / September 30, 2015
It is a pity that Sarath de Abrew J with all the respects due to the office he holds (not him) was appointed to the High Court and later Court of Appeal and to the S.C when the entire bar and this country knew how undeserving the appointments were. Simply because he is friendly with the former president does not mean that he can be appointed to this sacred office. Supreme court or any other courts are not the inherited property of the appointing authority. Good governance rulers can now undo the damages by the new constitution requiring fresh appointments to the appellate courts and effortlessly eliminate unscrupulous and errant judges and promote the judges who deserve to adorn the bench. Though it may be late already let sanity prevail now as such a move is better than never. A member of the noble profession
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kumaran / September 30, 2015
Sarath de abrew not only sleeps on the bench but snores disturbing every one. This is a known fact not only to the bar but the former president as well
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janak / September 30, 2015
Sarath Abrew J holds the world record for being slapped with a slipper by a stenographer when he was magistrate Mt Lavinia on a Saturday at his residence when he was magistrate mount Lavinia for an act involving moral turpitude which means he had started the game long ago.
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Vimukthi / September 30, 2015
Very Good move. Let this remain only the beginning. The entire judiciary not only became corrupt and politicised, it is also communalised. Human Rights lawyers have experienced racial oriented criticism by some sitting judges while the lawyers appearing for the Tamil victims of police torture in the past.
This is an opportunity for concern citizens to promote informed dialogue on the past behaviours of judges and poliitcal executive, at least from the time of Kalu Lucky and CJ neville Fernando incident, appointing of Sarath N Silva by passing very eminent judge Mark Fernando, impeachment of CJ Shrinai Banadarakayake etc. This will help people to understand the situation and to work towards truly an independent, efficient and effective judiciary. Lawyers who experienced inconvenience due to politicisation of judiciary and inefficient and ineffectiveness of Judges should contribute to enrich this dialogue. Vimukthi
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Rushdi al Ayad / September 30, 2015
Is all this because he (Abrew) that Gota cannot be arrested
Eva because she was also on the bebch
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Plato. / September 30, 2015
Uncommon man.
Thank you for this exposure.This man Nawaz,who was elevated to the Supreme court is MaRas man.He was in the team that argued that MaRa can continue in the Presidency indefinitely.
Damn shame.Look at the the types who sit on on the Supreme Court Bench!
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damayanthi / October 1, 2015
Snoring is more than a bedtime annoyance: it’s a serious health concern. Complications from snoring include chronic fatigue, gaining weight, high blood pressure, heart failure stroke and loads of judicial temperament. The most helpful prevention method to stop snoring and curtail these complications has recently been shown to involve nightly use of a jaw supporter. Give an allowance to justice at sleep to buy a jaw supporter to wear it on the bench
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kapila / October 1, 2015
[Edited out] We are sorry, the comment language in English – CT
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womenactionforum / October 1, 2015
Hon the CJ
save the women and children by not assigning cases of women and children victims to judges who violate the women and children rights. today 1st October is children day
womenactionforum
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masingha / October 1, 2015
the biggest relief to magistrates and district judges is to leave us alone without interfering or giving direction by higher court judges (negligible handful number 2 or 3) in personally interested cases. H/E president appoint a commission to probe into this. Impeach them. thanks for providing this forum.
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keerthi / October 1, 2015
Mr President! Let justice be not only done. Please ensure that it is manifestly be seen to be done.
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Senarath bandara / October 1, 2015
[Edited out]
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krishantha / October 1, 2015
Throughout history, the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made injustice to surface… Let’s defeat injustice – TNKs to col telegraph
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jayasingha / October 1, 2015
Impeachment is no solution. Retire them and finish cases by paying judges for each case.delay kills litigants
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Berty L I / October 1, 2015
Both have put in 40 years of govt service and survived unlike lady CJ 43.They deserve better treatment. Berty
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patriotknd08@gmail.com / October 1, 2015
Impeachment? Enough. Take correctional measures or take to my3 s side. Patriot
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T.M prasana / October 1, 2015
Let the people be optimistic about creating an independent judiciary with the introduction of the new constitution eliminating the corrupt and including the uncorrupt into the temple of justice
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buwanake ALu / October 1, 2015
With the birth of the new constitution let all those judges who were appointed without the approval of the cc or with the approval of the meaningless cc under the 18th amendment to hoodwink the masses go through the acid test before the 19th amendment Constitutional Council chaired by the present speaker. District Judge
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cletus / October 1, 2015
Judges generally dose off. There is nothing new about it. Lawyers drop down big books to wake up them. This is written submission era. There is nothing wrong in a judge falling asleep for they are human beings and not machines. Mnpruma
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jayathilaka / October 1, 2015
why expose Gaffor J. his file was closed 25 years ago. pls dont be a critic without any basis.we have paid through our noses for racism.
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Brian / October 1, 2015
burning issue is not quality of judges but basically quality of justice and delay in doing justice. I have partition case in supreme court pending for 6 years. The case is now 30 years. aggrived
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karunavathi TS / October 1, 2015
dear Brian
why it is delay it is the reason that judges whom are experienced in partition action not adequately enough to write judgement. if it is given to justice Salam he will finish it off very quickly we are making mistakes we are not voicing properly and we failed in our duty and oblication to advocate the goverment to appoint proper person in the Supreme court to give judgements in grey area of law like partition
thank you
Karunawathi
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R.M.B Senanayake / October 1, 2015
Who made these appointments? Their names should aso be published in the public interest for it shows bad judgment
The only caveat is that the proper procedure be followed to uphold the Rule of Law and due process. Our judges are not being held accountable to anybody. The CJ and the Judges of the S.C are supposed to supervise and hold them accountable. I do wish there is more supervision of the judges both of the minor judiciary as well as the superior judges.
Good governance requires accountability of every public official for his actions. There can be no public officer who is not accountable for his actions. We objected to the legal immunity of high ranks for this very purpose.
RMBS
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james / October 1, 2015
acid test by the team led by Hon Karu Kayasuriya will infuse confidence in the people. Salutory move
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Richard / October 1, 2015
Leave these two innocent judges and impeach chairman bribery commission
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karunavathi TS / October 1, 2015
Dear Excellency President and Ho. CJ of the SL,
Please immediately take measures to remove these kinds of shameless judges whom had made the judiciary ugly and spoiled the noble profession and there are noble judges whose experiences had purposely ignored without giving an opportunity to be a Supreme Court Judge because they were impartial and not being scared of any interference and they have contributed by giving lots of celebrated judgments while adoring the Court of Appeal Ex Justice Ranjith Silva and Justice AWA Salam. Still their contribution can be obtained by giving a chance in Supreme Court. By this act for sure, nothing that they are going to gain but temple of justice will be adorned and at the entire judiciary will be benefited and also it is beneficial to the general public.
Karunawathi Attorney-at-Law
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unbiased / October 2, 2015
The reasons for this scenario r many. Appointment of Samarakoon CJ by JR Sarath n Silva by cbk shirani bndrnyka by Glp and Cbk & MR asoka de silva later president advsor mohan piris by MR Saleem marsoof as president Court of appeal by cbk rajaratnam by MR Satya hetti by Mr Eva by MR Priyantha somebody by MR Rohini,sisira de abrew by MR. Nawas gaffoor madawala by MR and several others. If the bar association was asked they would not have done this mistake. Past is past. Appoint most senior career judge with bar association approval to s.c there wont be problem. Appoint most senior HCJ to appeal court with bar approval the won’t be problem. See how sarath messed up helping hambantota.this not the property of jrs father cbks father or mrs father. This is the property of the nation. Not sirisrnas father either. Appoint right person as present cj. Sitting Judge with no mslice
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anonymous swiss / October 2, 2015
Watch out local bribery commission and Bangalore air port police are alerted – anonymous from Swiss
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