July 09, Colombo: Colombo Magistrate Court has decided to postpone the case filed by the Bribery Commission against former Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and eight other suspects regarding the Avant Garde floating armory.

When the case was taken up for hearing today, the attorney appearing on behalf of the Bribery Commission informed Court that an interim order was issued by the Court of Appeal to suspend the hearing.

Accordingly, Colombo Chief Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake postponed the case until October 30.

The Court of Appeal on 4th July issued a stay order to suspend the Avant-Garde case that is being heard before the Colombo Magistrate's Court until a ruling is given in a revision petition filed by former Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa raising objections against the Commission's charges.

The Bribery Commission has filed charges against the former Defense Secretary and other accusing them of causing a financial loss to the tune of 11.4 billion rupees to the Government by paving the way for the operation of a floating armory by the Avant Garde Maritime Services.

The former defense officials including the former navy commanders Somathilaka Dissanayake, Jayanath Colombage and Jayantha Perera are among the other defendants An eighth suspect, Sujatha Damayanthie, a former Additional Secretary to the Defense Ministry, has left the country and is absconding.