Special High Court to start hearing cases from July 4

Sri Lanka’s first permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar , set up to expedite the high profile corruption cases against former government, will start hearing cases related to money laundering, graft and financial crimes from July 4, the Cabinet spokesman said today.

Last month, Parliament had passed the Judicature (Amendment) Act, brought by the government to pave way for setting up of special high courts to expedite hearing of corruption cases against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s administration, his family members and their associates.

“The first high court will become operational in July, while two others in September,” Cabinet spokesperson Minister Rajitha Senaratne said.

Many Rajapaksa family members and their associates were tried for alleged corruption following the change of the regime in 2015. But there has been considerable public dissatisfaction over the inordinate delay in trials as the accused, who were arrested, had been released on bail.