The Supreme Court on Thursday granted special leave to appeal to former Deputy Minister Shantha Premaratne, who was sentenced to four years’ rigorous imprisonment for soliciting and accepting a Rs. 50,000 bribe in return for promising employment.
Premaratne, a former United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) politician and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) organiser in the Ampara District, was convicted by the High Court in 2017.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has alleged that Premaratne solicited and accepted money from a party supporter after promising to secure employment for her son-in-law at the CEB.
The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction on November 05, 2024, prompting Premaratne to challenge the ruling before the Supreme Court.
A three-judge bench, comprising Justices Achala Wengappuli, Arjuna Obeyesekere and Gihan Kulatunga, granted special leave to appeal to consider whether the charge in the indictment had been proved at the trial.
Premaratne has maintained that the Rs. 50,000 was a donation for the construction of a party headquarters and not a bribe offered in exchange for employment. He has also alleged that political rivals instigated complaints against him after he lost a party selection contest in June 2008.
The Supreme Court fixed the appeal for argument on March 29, 2027. Attorneys Hafeel Farisz, Prashan Wickramaratne and Sanjeewa Kodithuwakku appeared for Premaratne, while Additional Director General Ruvini Wickramasinghe represented the CIABOC.