SHIRANI B PLANS GETAWAY

* With Bribery Cases Pending :

Former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake is planning to leave the country when the Bribery and Corruption Commission is in the process of hearing a case in which she is charged with several counts of bribery and corruption, reliable sources said.

The Bribery Commission at the last hearing requested Mrs. Bandaranayake to provide her response to the charge sheet within a stipulated time period.

However, if she leaves the country, the Bribery Commission proceedings will be in danger of being stalled. So far the Bribery Commission has not impounded the passport of Mrs.Bandaranayake. When former Chief Justice Bandaranayake appeared before the Bribery Commission at the last hearing on April 1, she failed to file her objections as promised earlier.

She failed to make any oral submissions either, and instead walked out after obtaining further time to do so.

The Commission which gave her time till May 17 to either file her objections or make oral submissions, warned her that no more extensions would be given if she failed to respond on that date.

Bandaranayake was initially requested to appear before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption on March 18 to obtain a statement relating to assets privately owned by her following a complaint received by the Commission alleging that she owned assets beyond the means of an ordinary public servant of her status.

On the occassion Bandaranayake asked for one week's time to submit her objections and the Commission agreed to take up her objections at the April 01 hearing. The Commission which has commenced investigations into the complaint, noticed the former Chief Justice to appear before it and make her submissions if any, as it was a mandatory procedure in the investigation process against bribery and corruption allegations.