GOTABHAYA RAJAPAKSE

vs.

DIRECTOR GENERAL, COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF BRIBERY OR CORRUPTION AND OTHERS

COURT OF APPEAL
WENGAPPULI, J.
OBEYESEKERE;J.
CA/REVISION/APN/29/2018
HC/COLOMBO/REVISION/02/2018
MC/COLOMBO/59287/01/16
FEBRUARY 25, 27, 28, 2019

Bribery Act, No. 11 of 1954, as amended, section 78(1)-Written sanction of the commission to institute proceedings mandatory-Incurable defect-Code of Criminal Procedure Act, No. 15 of 1979, section 436

In terms of section 78(1) of the Bribery Act, No. 44 of 1954, as amended, there shall be a written sanction issued by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption for a Magistrate's Court to entertain a prosecution under the Bribery Act. Proceedings cannot be instituted by the Commission itself. If proceedings have been instituted without such written sanction, it is an incurable defect.

Cases referred to:

1. Rodrigo v. Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CA/PHC/57/99,CA Minutes of 10, 11.2010)
2. Magor and St Mellons Rural District Council v. Newport Corporation [1951] 2 AER 839 at 846C-847B
3. Jinadasa v. Hemamali [2006) 2 Srf LR 300
4. Suffragam Rubber and Tea Co Ltd v. Mushin 55 NLR 44
5. Liquidator, RVDB v. Hendrick·[1997] 3 Sri LR 236
6. Attorney General v. Sumathipala [2006] 2 Sri LR 126.
7. Seaford Court Estates Ltd v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155
8. Mercantile Credit Ltd v. Jayathilake and others· [1993) 2 Sri LR 418
9. Heydon's Case [1584) EWHC Exch J36.
10. Attorney General v. Hale 53 NLR 289
11. Mowjood v: Pussedeniya [1987] 1 Sri LR 63

12. Science House (Ceylon) Ltd v. IPCA Laboratories (Pvt.) Ltd [1987] 1 Sri LR 185
13. Clapham v. National Assistance Board [1961] 2 Q.B. 77
14. Tennekoon v. Dissanayake 50 NLR 403
15. Bereton v. Ratranhamy 19 C.L.W. 11
16. Atapattu v Punchi Banda 40 NLR 169
17. Wijesiri v. The Attorney General [1980] 2 Sri LR 317
18. Attorney General v. William 57 NLR 9
19. Polwatte v. Jayawickrama and others (SC/WRIT/1/2011, SC Minutes of 26.07.2018)
20. Gunawardene v. Nelum Gamage (CA/PHC/APN/385/2004, CA Minutes of 12.06.2006)
21. Senanayake v. Attorney General [2010] 1 Sri LR 149
22. The King v. Harmanis 8 NLR 140
23. Atapattu v. Punchi Banda 40 NLR 169
24. Halliday v. Kandasamy 14 NLR 492
25. Silva v. Razak 1 C.L.W. 213
26. Wickremaaratchi v. Inspector of Police, Nittambuwa 71 NLR 121
27. Brereton v. Ratranhamy 19 C.L.W 11
28. Perera v. Inspector of Labour Matugama 50 NLR 421
29. Maymoon v. Erasaratnam 68 NLR 331
30. Caldera v. Wijewardene 65 NLR 211
31. Kanagarajah v. The Queen 74 NLR 378
32. Appuhamy v. Kesbewa Presdeshiya Sabhawa and others [2007]1 Sri LR 1
33. Nitinbhai Shah v. State of Gujarat AIR 2002 SC Ill 2784
33. Regina v. Welsh (Snr) and 17 others [2015] EWCA Crim 1516
34. Regina v. CW & MM [2015] EWCA Crim 906

APPLICATION in Revision from the Order of the High Court of Colombo.

Ramesh de Silva, P.C., with M.U.M. Ali Sabry, P.C., Sugath Caldera and Ruwantha Cooray for the 1st Accused-Petitioner-Petitioner.

Janaka Bandara, S.S.C., Disna Gunasinghe and Thushari Dayaratne of the Bribery Commission for the Complainant-Respondent-Respondent.

cur. adv. vult.

September 12, 2019

WENGAPPULI, J.

The 1st Accused-Petitioner (hereinafter referred to as the "Petitioner") has invoked the revisionary jurisdiction of this Court under "imperative provisions of the Constitution", seeking to set aside an order of dismissal of his revision application, made by the Provincial High Court of the Western Province Holden in Colombo on 02.02.2018 under HCRA/02/2018 which had been filed by him challenging the validity of an order of the Magistrate's Court of Colombo, in case No. 59287/01/06.

The Complainant-Respondent, the Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (hereinafter referred to as the "Respondent"), had instituted proceedings before the Magistrate's Cour