Five parliamentarians of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) who had been summoned by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on Political Victimization, for allegedly making defamatory remarks regarding the commission, appeared before it this morning (09).

Ada Derana reporter said that the MPs had arrived at the commission at around 10.45 a.m. today.

The SJB MPs had been summoned based on information that they had allegedly made defamatory remarks on the Presidential Commission while speaking to the media after making a complaint to the Bribery Commission recently.

They had reportedly stated that the Presidential Commission on Political Victimization was acting beyond the law of the country while misusing state funds. 

The Chairman of the Commission, Retired Supreme Court Judge Upali Abeyratne yesterday issued the summons on MPs Harin Fernando, Nalin Bandara, J.C. Alawathuwala, Mayantha Dissanayake and Sujith Sanjaya Perera in connection to this.

A spokesman for the commission said that following the hearing of evidence a case is expected to be filed before the Court of Appeal on a later date on charges of contempt of the presidential commission.

Speaking to reporters today, after the MPs appeared before the commission, SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara said that the a group of MPs including the five summoned by the commission today had submitted a complaint to the Bribery Commission on behalf of the people as per their democratic right.

The MPs who submitted the complaint were summoned before the commission today and informed that it would be taken to the Appeals Court, he said. “We respect the judiciary. But we don’t respect false work.”