Bond commission sittings postponed

Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) probing Central Bank bond scams yesterday postponed sittings till Friday (Sept 22) to enable the Attorney General’s Department team to prepare for questioning the former CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran.

The announcement was made at the conclusion of Mahendran’s initial evidence before the CoI. Sittings will resume at 10 am Friday.

Chairman of the CoI Justice K.T. Chitrasiri made the ruling in response to a request made by Acting Solicitor (SASG) General Dappula de Livera.

Dappula de Livera said they needed time to prepare for questioning Mahendran. The ASG said that it was a matter for the CoI and the AG’s officers assisting the Commission. The top official said that information had to be elicited by questioning Mahendran to fulfill CoI’s mandate.

Mahendran’s Counsel, Romesh de Silva said that the AG’s team had declined to question for some extraordinary reason as his client was told to appear before CoI many days back. Counsel de Silva said it was due to the fact that Mahendran was telling the truth.

Counsel de Silva concluded preliminary questioning yesterday morning.

Harsha Fernando, counsel for retired Central Bank Deputy Governor, P. Samarasinghe questioned Mahendran subsequently while lawyers appearing for Perpetual Treasuries Limited and owner of PTL Arjun Aloysius informed CoI they wouldn’t question the former CB Governor.