Diana’s travel ban extended till December 15

• The court has issued the travel ban upon a request made by an external party to the case

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda  

The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday further extended its order directing the Controller-General of Immigration and Emigration to prevent State Minister Diana Gamage from leaving the country. This order will be effective until December 15.  Colombo Chief Magistrate Nandana Amarasinghe announced that the order regarding the request to recall the travel ban will be delivered at the next hearing date. 

President’s Counsel Sarath Jayamanna appearing for the State Minister sought an order to revoke the travel ban imposed against his client. He said the court has issued the said travel ban upon a request made by an external party to the case. Neither the Immigration and Emigration authorities nor the CID had made a request to impose travel restrictions. There is no any material to prove that my client would flee the country being a State Minister of the government, Jayamanna argued.   
Meanwhile, President’s Counsel Rienzie Arsekularatne appearing for the complainant in the case raised objections to relax travel restrictions and moved Court to issue an arrest warrant against the State Minister for allegedly committing offences under Immigrants and Emigrants Act (IEA). 

Senior Counsel Athula Ranagala appearing for Samagi Jana Balawegaya General Secretary Ranjith Madduma bandara contended that any aggrieved party can invoke Court’s jurisdiction since it is an offence committed against the state and society as a whole. He said his client’s political party has been severely prejudiced by the conduct of Diana Gamage, which is  relevant to this case.  

The Court has already issued an order directing the CID to expedite the investigation into a B report filed against State Minister Diana Gamage regarding a complaint that she had obtained a Sri Lankan passport after furnishing false information to the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration.  

In 2021, the CID had 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 dual citizenship status.