Ranjan sentenced two years suspended imprisonment over second contempt of court case

Former Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake was today sentenced to two-year-rigorous imprisonment suspended for five years by the Supreme Court in connection with the second contempt of court case.

Handing down the judgment, Supreme Court three-judge-bench comprising Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare, L.T.B. Deheideniya and Gamini Amarasekara explained to Ramanayake about the consequences of this suspended imprisonment. The Court observed that the respondent will have to serve a two-year prison term if he is found guilty for another offence within the next five years period.

The Supreme Court announced that it was delivering this judgment after taking into consideration the respondent’s decision to plead guilty to the offence of Contempt of Court, expression of his deep regret regarding the impugned statement and other mitigatory factors urged on behalf of the respondent.

At a previous occasion, Ramanayake pleaded guilty to the charges mentioned in the second contempt of court case filed against him for allegedly making a derogatory statement regarding the Supreme Court.

The second contempt of court case had been filed against Ranjan Ramanayak for allegedly making a derogatory statement regarding the Supreme Court, while participating in the 'Wada Pitiya' programme on TV Derana in 2018.

Ramanayake offered an unqualified special regret over the remarks he made at a television program, if his utterances have caused any contempt towards the Supreme Court. However, Ranjan Ramanayake said he did not make such a statement intentionally to contempt or undermine the Supreme Court.

  The Supreme Court had served this rule under a complaint that Ranjan Ramanayake had commented on the media regarding an ongoing case at Supreme Court in a manner of insulting and damaging the reputation of the judiciary. It is alleged that the former State Minister had allegedly insulted the Supreme Court by publicly prejudging a fundamental rights violation petition which was filed over the dissolution of Parliament in October 2018.

The Attorney General maintained that the statement made by Ranjan Ramanayake was tantamount to contempt of court in terms of Article 105 (3) of the constitution.

On January 11, 2021, the Supreme Court convicted Ranjan Ramanayake for the offence of contempt of court in connection with the first contempt of court case and sentenced him to a term of four years rigorous imprisonment.

President’s Counsel Anura Meddegoda appeared for Ranjan Ramanayake. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)