The Supreme Court has issued an order suspending the services of a lawyer who committed misconduct while acting as a defense lawyer in a case pending in the Polonnaruwa High Court for a period of five years.
The lawyer is said to have instructed a prosecution witness to speed up the case by using improper means.
In this case, which was called before a three-person panel of judges, by the majority decision of Supreme Court Justice Shiran Gunaratne and Justice Janak De Silva, lawyer Mrs. PK Palaketiya has been suspended from working as a lawyer for a period of five years.
However, Justice S. Thureiraja ordered that the respondent be suspended from practicing as a lawyer for 10 years.
The Supreme Court said that it was inclined to impose a lenient sentence in view of her pleading guilty and accepting responsibility.
“As officers of the court, defense attorneys must not act as passive devil's followers. They must always act in an honest, honorable and lawful manner,” Justice Thureirajah noted.
When a sexual abuse case was heard in the High Court, it was alleged that she had given professional advice while preparing an affidavit expressing her intention to end the case expeditiously. She is further accused of obtaining a blank sheet with signatures to prepare it.
The order was issued in respect of the breach of Rule 60 (Conduct and Etiquette for Advocates) and Rule 61 of the Supreme Court Act, 1988 in a manner unbecoming of a lawyer.
ඒක නම් හොඳ ආදර්ශයක්
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