President Ranil Wickremesinghe today (26) signed the document granting conditional presidential pardon to former Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake, who is currently serving a four year sentence on charges of contempt of court.
The President has granted pardon on the condition that Ramanayake should not make any statement critical or derogatory of the entire judiciary in future.
The Secretary to the Ministry of Justice has been entrusted with the task of carrying out the necessary arrangements for Ramanayake’s release.
Ramanayake had made statements insulting the judiciary primarily outside Temple Trees on 21st August 2017. The Supreme Court delivered its judgement on 12th January 2021 convicting him for the offence of contempt of court and sentenced him to four years rigorous imprisonment.
Submitting an Affidavit to court yesterday (25), Ranjan Ramanayake had stated that having reflected deeply on the statement made by him outside Temple Trees on 21st of August 2017, he admits that the statement he made is completely and utterly false and derogatory and contemptuous of the entire judiciary and humbly and profoundly apologized and sought the forgiveness of the entire judiciary.
Further, Ramanayake also sought forgiveness for the derogatory statement he made outside the Supreme Court premises claiming that he would not withdraw the statement he made on the 21st of August 2017.
He also gave an assurance that he would never again, in his entire lifetime; make any statement critical or derogatory of the entire judiciary.