The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today fixed April 24 to decide whether it issues or not an arrest warrant against State Minister Diana Gamage for allegedly committing offences under the Immigrants and Emigrants Act.
A group of lawyers led by President’s Counsel Rienzie Arseculeratne, appearing for the complainant, sought an order for the arrest of State Minister Diana Gamage for committing offences under the Immigrants and Emigrants Act. They argued that the B reports submitted by CID revealed that State Minister Diana Gamage had committed a number of offences under the Penal Code and the Immigrants and Emigrants Act for furnishing false information to obtain a passport. They alleged that the State Minister had obtained a Sri Lankan passport after furnishing two different birth certificates.
However, the Attorney General had moved the court not to make such an order until the Court of Appeal makes an appropriate order regarding a petition filed over a similar issue.
Meanwhile, defence counsel appeared on behalf of the State Minister and raised objections to the request, arguing that it is too early to issue an arrest order while investigations are pending into the incident.
The order regarding these applications is to be delivered on April 24 by Colombo Chief Magistrate Prasanna Alwis.
In 2021, the CID filed a B report in the Chief Magistrate’s Court against Diana Gamage over a complaint that she is a British citizen residing in Sri Lanka without a dual citizenship status. The CID had commenced investigations into this incident subsequent to a complaint lodged by social activist Oshala Herath.
