Sri Lanka’s chief justice faces impeachment hearing before parliamentary committee

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka’s chief justice has attended the first day of a hearing before a parliamentary committee investigating an impeachment motion that accuses her of misusing power and having unexplained wealth.

Lawyers shouted slogans condemning the motion Friday and cheered for Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake as she left the Supreme Court and drove to the parliament to face an 11-member committee that is probing 14 charges against her. The committee is made up of seven government lawmakers and four from the opposition.

She went before the committee along with her lawyers and remained there for about 90 minutes.

Bandaranayake has denied any wrongdoing, and opposition parties and independent analysts say the impeachment attempt is aimed at stifling judiciary independence and concentrating power with Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

04:51ET 23-11-12