Sri Lanka’s first women Chief Justice, who was impeached earlier this year, has been summoned to appear before anti-graft commission to investigate allegations of bribery and corruption, officials said on Wednesday.
Ms. Shirani Bandaranayake was removed from office after parliament voted mid-January on the motion to impeach her. She had denied all accusations while walking out of the inquiry claiming it was biased.
The Supreme and Appeal Courts ruled that her impeachment was illegal. She will now have to appear before the Bribery Commission on March 18.
Her husband, Pradeepa Kariyawasam was also indicted by the Bribery Commission late last month and is currently on bail.
The independent Lawyers’ Collective in a release branded the Bribery Commission’s summoning of Ms. Bandaranayake as continued witch hunt against the former chief justice.
Ms. Bandaranayake’s impeachment has caused international criticism on Sri Lanka for degrading the Commonwealth values of judicial independence.
