Sooriyarachchi files appeal against remand

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 April 2007, 11:52 GMT]
Sripathi Sooriyarachchi has filed an appeal in the High Court of Avissawella seeking bail and the Court will take the case for hearing on April 3. Mr. Sooriyarachchi, sacked minister from the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) cabinet, is now being kept in remand on a charge that he had misused a state vehicle following his dismissal, legal sources said.

Gangodawila Additional Magistrate, Lakmal Wickremasuriya, last week ordered further remand till April 10 for Mr. Sooriyarachchi, rejecting his bail application.

The Additional Magistrate stated that he has no jurisdiction to order bail for the suspect who has been charged under Public Properties' Act.

The Defence Counsel in the bail application filed on behalf of Mr. Sooriyarachchi in the High Court has stated that the additional magistrate has erred in law by refusing to release the suspect on bail.