Justice Sarath De Abrew indicted

Charged in both High Court and Magistrate’s Court:

First sitting SC Judge to be charged in HC:

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda

The Attorney General has filed an indictment in the Colombo High Court against Supreme Court Judge, Sarath de Abrew with committing grave sexual abuse on a domestic helper on or around June 26 this year.

The indictment has been filed under two counts on committing grave sexual abuse, which comes under Section 365 B of the Penal Code.

This is the first time a sitting Supreme Court judge has been indicted in the High Court on a criminal charge.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General has also recommended that separate legal action be initiated in the Mount Lavinia Chief Magistrate’s Court under Section 314 of the Penal Code against the Supreme Court Justice for voluntarily causing hurt to the domestic helper,

Justice De Abrew is currently on bail. The CID initiated investigations on the incident and had sought the AG’s advice on the matter.

A complaint was lodged at the Mt. Lavinia Police station by Justice De Abrew’s domestic helper Nilusha Damayanthi (39) alleging that she was assaulted and sexually abused by Justice De Abrew on June 26, 2015.

De Abrew had sent his retirement papers in October to be effective from January, next year, informed sources told the Sunday Observer.

This follows the Sri Lanka Bar Association (BASL) requesting the Chief Justice to prevent De Abrew from carrying out duties as a Supreme Court Judge.