At least 23 people have been arrested for allegedly entering the Green Lanka building at Nawam Mawatha in Colombo in the early hours of yesterday and damaging its property on several floors, police said.   

Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa said the suspects had damaged the property as the building was under a dispute over its ownership.  It was reported that two Embassies are also situated in the building.   

SSP Thalduwa said there was a dispute over the ownership of the Green Lanka building and there was an ongoing case at the Commercial High Court. The building is a mortgaged building owned by the Green Lanka Company.   

Thalduwa said several floors of the building had been closed and the group had forcibly entered causing damage to the property. The building also has a hall where controversial pastor Jerome Fernando holds his services on Sunday mornings. However, according to the investigations, the group had not entered the building targeting Fernando’s hall.   

The arrested suspects are from Kadawatha, Homagama, Battaramulla, Dematagoda, Slave Island and Kollupitiya and they will be produced before the Colombo Fort Magistrate.