Financial Times - TRI director claims damages for wrongful arrest, sacking

The Supreme Court last week granted leave to appeal to Dr. Ziyard Mohamed, Director, Tea Research Institute (TRI), to file a fundamental rights case against wrongful arrest and vacation of post.

Dr. Mohamed was ordered to quit and then arrested after he returned from Japan where he was part of a tea delegation that was able to convince the Japanese government to lift an unofficial ban against Ceylon Tea. The ban was enforced after some tea was found to be contaminated.

He was accused of misappropriation of funds for leaving the country without ministerial approval, and jailed for a few days. Subsequently the Magistrate’s Court dismissed all charges against him and President Mahinda Rajapaksa stepped in and ordered his immediate reinstatement. Dr Mohamed is seeking Rs 5 million in compensation from the respondents who include the former TRI Chairman. The bench that heard the case comprised Justice Nihal Jayasinghe, Justice Raja Fernando and Justice I. M. K Udalagama. Ikram Mohamed, Roshan Hettiarachchi, Saadi Wadood and M. C. M Munir appeared for the plaintiff. The case will be heard again on October 17.