A complaint has been lodged with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) against three Supreme Court judges over allegations that their actions resulted in nearly US$999 million in compensation that was due from the X-Press Pearl shipping company and its local representatives not being recovered.
Dr Chamal Sanjeewa, President of the Medical and Civil Rights Doctors’ Association, submitted the written complaint to the Director General of CIABOC yesterday, calling for an independent investigation into the conduct of the judges in relation to the X-Press Pearl compensation case.
The complaint also raises questions over whether the loss of the compensation was connected to the implementation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution. Dr Sanjeewa has also filed a petition before the Supreme Court challenging matters relating to the constitutional amendment.
According to the complaint, a five-judge Supreme Court bench headed by the Chief Justice delivered judgements in cases SC/FR/168/2021, SC/FR/176/2021, SC/FR/184/2021 and SC/FR/277/2021 and ordered the shipping company and its representatives to pay US$250 million by September 24, 2025.
However, the complaint alleges that only US$1 million had been paid, leaving approximately US$249 million of that particular court-ordered amount outstanding.
The complaint alleges that although the petitioners sought action for contempt of court over the alleged failure to comply with the order, no such action was taken against the company by the three judges concerned.
It also alleges that Justice Yasantha Kodagoda, who had been the senior-most judge of the previous bench and was involved in preparing the judgement, was removed from the case without a valid legal reason.
The case was subsequently heard on January 26, 2026, before a three-member bench comprising the judges named in the complaint, according to Dr Sanjeewa.
The complaint alleges that the same bench ordered the termination of proceedings on that day, contrary to established judicial practice.
Dr Sanjeewa claims that the order prevented the recovery of approximately US$999 million that could have been obtained from the company and its representatives and also affected the work of the Compensation Management Commission appointed by the court.
A letter dated March 6, 2026, had reportedly informed the petitioners that the commission could no longer continue its work as a result of the court order, the complaint states.
Dr Sanjeewa has requested CIABOC to investigate the allegations under the Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 of 2023.
He has alleged that the conduct attributed to the three judges could amount to an act of corruption involving the misuse of public office under Section 111 of the Act.
The complaint calls for an independent and credible investigation, appropriate legal action if wrongdoing is established, and notification of the progress of the investigation in accordance with Section 44 of the Act.
The allegations contained in the complaint have not been independently established, and the judges named in it have not been found guilty of any wrongdoing.
Colombo, Sep. 1 (Daily Mirror)