The Supreme Court today decided to hear an appeal application in which former Deputy Minister and UPFA party organizer Shantha Premaratne was convicted of accepting a bribe from a former party supporter for employment.Premaratne was the former Minister of Tourism and Aviation, Irrigation and Water Resources Management and Plan Implementation and Parliamentary Affairs.

A party supporter had complained to the Bribery Commission that he had taken Rs. 50,000 by promising her Son-in-Law employment at the Ceylon Electricity Board.Premaratne denied the charge saying that the money was taken as a donation for the construction of the party headquarters in the Ampara District in 2007.After a lengthy trial, Premaratne was convicted on the charges of soliciting and accepting Rs. 50,000 in promise of employment to the party supporter’s Son-in-Law.The Court of Appeal in November 2024 upheld the decision of the High Court.The Supreme Court, comprising Justices Achala Wengappuli, Arjuna Obeyesekere and Gihan Kulatunga, today granted special leave to appeal to Premaratne in his petition filed against the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

Counsel Hafeel Farisz, together with Sanjeewa Kodithuwakku, appeared for the Petitioner, and Additional Director General Ruvini Wickramasinghe appeared for the Bribery Commission.