Rathnayake Mudiyanselage Chandrasiri Thennakoonwela vs Director General, Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption – SC TAB 04/2023-2024

In the case between the Director General, Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption and Rathnayake Mudiyanselage Chandrasiri Thennakoonwela, the principal legal issue concerned whether a final appeal could be lodged against an interlocutory order issued by the Permanent High Court at Bar. It was held that such an appeal is procedurally and legally impermissible under the applicable statutory and constitutional framework, which only contemplates appeals from final judgments or orders. The determination reaffirmed the principle that appellate jurisdiction over interlocutory orders is limited unless specifically provided by statute. This reasoning rested on the Bribery Act, the Judicature Act, the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, and relevant constitutional provisions, und