Bandarawela Magistrate suspended from duties on allegation of trying to abuse court-typist!

Bandarawela Magistrate suspended from duties on allegation of trying to abuse court-typist!

Some days back it was spotlighted in relation to the popular documentary film 'Usawiya nihandai' about the phenomenon where a magistrate who had abused the wives of convicts with the motive of bailing out the convicts. During the present era it is observed that those attached to the field of the judiciary where law is put into force engaging in various activities contradictory to the law. One such incident highlights an instance where duties of a
chief magistrate has been subjected to suspension over a decision issued by the Judicial Service Commission. 

The incident at the root of this mishapwas an attempt by Vishwantha Fernando who held the position of Chief Magistrate of Bandarawela Courts of pulling the typist engaged in her duties in court by the hand and in trying to abuse her inside his chambers. This Chief Magistrate who is supposed to have been in service till the end of December last year in Trincomalee has assumed his duties in Bandarawela in January this year. From the day of his arrival he had been casting an amorous look at this typist, it was learned. After a lapse of two or three weeks, having waited for a suitable opportunity an attempt of this nature has been launched. 

On the day of the incident concerned she had entered the chambers where this magistrate was for some official matter and on that occasion after cautioning her not to raise her voice, the magistrate after scaring her had abruptly closed the door of the room and had pulled her by the hand with the intention of abusing her sexually. The typist who was rendered helpless under these circumstances had later been courageous enough to report this to the Judicial Service Commission and those officers there too were brave enough to come forward to launch an inquiry without throwing the complaint under the carpet. From day-before-yesterday, the 7th, the duties of this Chief Magistrate have been withdrawn and instead he has been replaced by Mr. N.P. Gunasekera as Chief Magistrate of Bandarawela Courts.