The case filed by the Bribery Commission against  former Minister Johnston Fernando and two others was taken up for hearing once again before the Colombo High Court today (26.03.2025).

The case has been filed by the Bribery Commission, alleging that the trio caused financial losses to the government by unlawfully engaging the employees of the Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE/Lanka Sathosa) in political activities during Fernando’s tenure as the Minister of Cooperatives and Internal Trade.

The hearing took place before Colombo High Court Judge Navaratne Marasinghe, during which evidence was recorded on behalf of the prosecution.  

Following this, the High Court Judge then postponed the case until June 23 for further hearing.  

The Bribery Commission had filed the case against Johnston Fernando, former Lanka Sathosa chairman Eraj Fernando and former Working Director of Lanka Sathosa Mohamed Shakeer, for allegedly using 153 employees of Lanka Sathosa in political activities while Johnston was serving as a minister between 2010 and 2014 and thereby causing a loss to the tune of Rs. 40 million to the government.