Special High Courts to function by August: PM

The special high courts investigations on serious frauds will start functioning by August this year, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday.

The Prime Minister said this at an election rally in Gampaha last evening.

" Cabinet paper submitted by Minister of Justice Talatha
Atthukorala was approved by the Cabinet today and it will be presented to Parliament soon. UNP's stand on the issue is that the new courts should initially hear the cases on corruption which has taken place during the present regime", Mr Wickremesinghe said.

" The practice that had been carried out in the past on corruption is that a new government conducts investigation on corruption that had taken place during the previous regime. However, this regime had changed this practice and conducted investigation on bond issue" he added.

He then went on to talk on the development plans lined up by the government for the country.

State Minister Ruwan Wijewardene said both the President and the Prime Minister had agreed to deal with corruption together. He said those in the UNP and in the SLFP will have to face punishment if it is proven that they have been engaged in corruption.

" There are some who were engaged in corruption during the Rajapaksa regime, who have become ministers in the present regime. Some who were alleged to have involved in the hedging deal have become ministers in this government and talking of corruption in this government. They will be penalized if found guilty" Mr Wijewardene said.

He also said the Opposition parties such as SLPP will not be able to carry out development in village level when the Central government is being run by another party. " How can one expect an Opposition MP from Kurunegala develop villages " he questioned. (Yohan Perera)


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