Avant-Garde case to be taken up once again on the 23rd

COLOMBO (News 1st):- The Colombo Chief Magistrate Court today (September 20) ordered that the Avant-Garde case be taken up again on the 23rd of this month. The order was issued as the magistrate court had not received the copy of the order issued by the Court of Appeal for the release of eight suspects including Gotabaya Rajapaksa from the Avant-Garde case. The case was taken up today before Colombo Additional Magistrate, Thanuja Jayatunga. The Additional Magistrate directed the Registrar of the Chief Magistrate's Court to obtain a copy of the decision of the Court of Appeal. Court of Appeal Judges Achala Wengappuli and Arjuna Obeysekera who considered the petition filed by Gotabaya Rajapaksa on the 12th of this month had ordered the release of the suspects. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had filed a petition challenging the case filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption at the Magistrate court. The Bribery Commission filed an action at the Magistrate's Court against eight others, including Mr Rajapakse, alleging that the government had incurred a loss of Rs. 1140 million by allowing Avant-Garde Maritime Services to operate a floating armoury.