Avant Garde Chairman, Major General Palitha Fernando notified to appear before High Court

The Colombo High Court issued summons on Avant-Garde Maritime Services (Pvt) Ltd Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi and Maj. Gen. Palitha Fernando ordering them to appear in court on September 19 for allegedly offering and accepting a bribe of Rs.35.5 million following the Avant-Garde floating armoury transaction.

The Director General of Bribery Commission filed indictments against the two accused on 47 counts under section 17, 19, 21 and 25 of the Bribery Commission Act.

When the Magisterial inquiry into the matter came up before Colombo Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe Bandara, the Court was informed that the High Court had issued summons on the two accused to appear in Court on September 19.

The Chief Magistrate decided to lay by the Magisterial inquiry into the matter and advised the accused to appear in High Court on the next date.

The two accused were arrested by the Bribery Commission on September 6, 2016 for offering a bribe of Rs.35.5 million to Maj. Gen. Palitha Fernando by Avant-Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi consequent to a Avant-Garde floating armoury transaction in September 2012.

(Source: Daily News – By Lakmal Sooriyagoda)