Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya today refused the Chairman H.N. Yapa Senadipathi of Avant Guarde Maritime Service (Pvt.) Ltd to go to Nigeria for business as the CID objected asserting that if the petitioner travelled to Nigeria it would hold back the on-going investigations.

IP Sunil Samaratunge appearing for the CID said according to the Court’s direction they obtained reports from the Secretaries of the Defence Ministry and the Foreign Ministry giving their opinion on the issue.

They said they forwarded those letters to the AG to seek his advice and the AG had still not conveyed his opinion to the CID.

Counsel Dulinda Weerasuriya PC appearing for Mr Senadhipathy said that his client had entered into an agreement with the Rakna Lanka Company to provide storing facilities to store the firearms of  Rakna Lanka in his client’s care.

He said however the agreement was already lapsed. He also said if the Court imposes travel restrictions to his client, this would bring a loss of Rs 3500 million to his client and to the country. The case was postponed for July 11.(T.Farook Thajudeen)