Two cases against Shashi Weerawansa fixed for further trial

Two cases filed against Shashi Weerawansa over an incident of fraudulently obtaining two passports including a diplomatic passport by submitting forged documents to the Department of Immigration and Emigration were on Tuesday fixed for further trial by Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court. Accordingly, the cases were fixed for further trial on February 27 by Colombo Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe Bandara.

Witness Chulani Lalith, a former Administration Officer attached to the Department of Registration of Persons on Tuesday started giving evidence on the matter. In his evidence the former Administration Officer informed Court that he was employed in the one-day service section of the Department in 2010 and he was the officer who approved the one-day service applications.

He informed Court that he had received Shashi Weerawansa’s application without the relevant documents which should be included when a person receives a one-day service from the Department. Mr. Lalith said that after informing the matter to then Commissioner of the Department, Jagath Wijeweera, the Commissioner had issued a special order to approve the application.

In a written statement the Commissioner had noted that Shashi Weerawansa had lost all her documents when shifting to a new residence and the relevant documents will be submitted later to the Department, he said.

Shashi Weerawansa was arrested in February, 2015 over the charge of obtaining diplomatic and general passports illegally. She had allegedly submitted birth certificates with forged names and dates of birth to obtain those passports. She is currently out on bail. Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, along with the CID officers, prosecuted.