Sri Lankan Minister granted bail by court for threatening a judge

A Sri Lankan court today granted bail to the Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiyutheen when he appeared in the court over threatening a judge. Panadura Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake presiding at the Mannar Magistrate Court released
the Minister on two personal securities worth of Rs. 500,000 each and Rs. 10,000 cash bail when the case filed against him over threatening Mannar Magistrate A. Judeson was taken up for hearing today. The Magistrate Court of Mannar on August 13 issued notice to the Minister to appear before the court on August 27th. Minister Bathiyutheen is accused of intimidating a judge last month over a court ruling against a group of recently resettled fishermen in the Mannar district of the northwestern region. The Minister has allegedly threatened the magistrate over the phone to instigate violence against the courts if the order is not revoked. The case at the Mannar court was postponed until October 04. On the same allegations, the Court of Appeals has also ordered the Minister to personally appear before the court on September 5th to show cause why he should not be punished for contempt of court.