Contempt of court case against Diana Gamage dismissed

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda

The Supreme Court in its majority decision yesterday decided to dismiss the contempt of court application filed against former State Minister Diana Gamage.

Former Chairman of the Weligama Urban Council, Rehan Jayawickrema filed this application before the Supreme Court alleging that Diana Gamage committed the offence of contempt of court through her statements at a media conference held on May 9 this year.

The Court held that there is no reasonable ground to entertain this application at this stage.

The Supreme Court three-judge-bench comprised Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, Yasantha Kodagoda and Shiran Goonaratne. President’s Counsel Shanaka Ranasinghe appeared 
for Diana Gamage.

The Supreme Court, in a landmark judgement on May 8, held that then State Minister Diana Gamage is disqualified from being a Member of Parliament and thus she is not entitled to hold office as a Member of Parliament, as she is not a citizen of Sri Lanka.