• Court deems it inappropriate to issue order prior to seeing report

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court (MC) ordered the Criminal Investigations

Department (CID) yesterday (5) to obtain the relevant report from the British High

Commission regarding the citizenship of State Minister of Tourism Diana Gamage

as soon as possible and to conduct the relevant investigations.

The case pertaining to a complaint – which has been filed by social activist Oshala

Herath with the CID alleging that Gamage’s passport, national identity card (NIC),

and birth certificate are fake – was taken up before the Colombo Magistrate’s

Court yesterday.

Stating that it will be easier for the court to issue the relevant orders with regard

to the case after the receipt of the report from the British High Commission,

Magistrate Prasanna Alwis stated that it is not appropriate to issue an order to

arrest the suspect (Gamage) and produce her before court until then.

The Magistrate has also stated that it is apparent that the Attorney General’s (AG)

instructions are not needed regarding the case against Gamage.

Following a group of lawyers, including Attorney-at-Law Gunarathna Wanninayake,

informing the court through a motion that the CID had not informed the court of

any investigation into a complaint lodged in 2021 to the effect that Gamage’s

passport, NIC, and birth certificate are forged, this case was first taken up before

the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on 27 October 2022.