Counsel Informs Presidential Commission Ravi’s Inability to Attend the Commission Today

Counsel  Sandun Gamage  appearing for former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake yesterday informed the Presidential Commission on  Bribery and Corruption that the minister would not be able to appear at the Commission today (25). Further , he said according to his limited instructions, the minister would inform the Commission  of the date he would be able to attend the inquiry.

As the submission was made at the end of yesterday’s Presidential Commission , proceedings by Minister Karunanayake’s counsel, Additional Solicitor General, Dappula de Livera has found fault with him, which ended up in heated argument.

Subsequent to the submission, there was a heated argument between and the minister’s counsel.

The ASG was of the view that the counsel should have informed the Presidential Commission  about the matter at the beginning of the proceedings and the reason for the failure to appear before the clearly mentioned.

In response the counsel said, he was instructed by the minister about a Cabinet meeting. Then the Commission questioned the counsel whether Cabinet meetings were normally held in the evening?

However, the ASG was of the view that if the reason was to attend a Cabinet meeting then the reason must be clearly mentioned with the details. At this stage the ASG informed the Presidential Commission that they had not scheduled another witness to testify  today in place of the former finance minister. Finally the Presidential commission considered the minister’s request and directed the counsel to inform the earliest date on which his client would attend the inquiry.