Sri Lanka arrests top judge
(MENAFN- Arab News) COLOMBO: Sri Lankan police made the first ever arrest of a Supreme Court judge who was detained in connection with an alleged sexual assault an official said.
Sarath de Abrew was arrested following investigations into a complaint that he tried to force a 39-year-old woman to have sex with him on the outskirts of Colombo and beat her up when she refused a police official said.
The judge who is in his 60s was taken before a magistrate who ordered his release on personal bail of half a million rupees ($3800) police said.
"The magistrate also ordered the judge to cooperate with the Criminal Investigations Department (of the police) and make a statement" a police official said.
"He had previously refused to make a statement to the police."
Victor Ivan an author who has written extensively on the country's judiciary said it was the first time in Sri Lanka's history that a judge from the apex court has been arrested. Supreme court judges can only be removed through a complicated impeachment process in parliament. Sri Lanka's parliament was dissolved last month ahead of elections in August.
Sarath de Abrew was arrested following investigations into a complaint that he tried to force a 39-year-old woman to have sex with him on the outskirts of Colombo and beat her up when she refused a police official said.
The judge who is in his 60s was taken before a magistrate who ordered his release on personal bail of half a million rupees ($3800) police said.
"The magistrate also ordered the judge to cooperate with the Criminal Investigations Department (of the police) and make a statement" a police official said.
"He had previously refused to make a statement to the police."
Victor Ivan an author who has written extensively on the country's judiciary said it was the first time in Sri Lanka's history that a judge from the apex court has been arrested. Supreme court judges can only be removed through a complicated impeachment process in parliament. Sri Lanka's parliament was dissolved last month ahead of elections in August.
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