Warrant not needed for Diana Gamage’s arrest, court tells CID

The Colombo Chief Magistrate has pointed out to the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) that a warrant will not be required for the arrest of State Minister Diana Gamage, if she has violated the Immigration and Emigration Act. 

Last month, the CID was ordered to obtain a report from the British High Commission in Colombo on Gamage’s citizenship, and to conduct further investigations in this regard. 

The relevant report was presented in court today (09 Feb.).

Appearing on behalf of the petitioner, President’s Counsel Rienzie Arsekularatne emphasised that in the event an average person of a non-political background committed such an offence, prompt legal action would have been taken against the said individual, however, no such emergence is being seen in this case owing to the fact that it concerns a State Minister.

Accordingly, the next hearing of the case was fixed for 02 March 2023 on the orders of Colombo Chief Magistrate Prasanna Alwis.

The State Minister currently is at the  risk of losing her Parliamentary seat on account of allegations over her citizenship, after social activist Oshala Herath filed a complaint at the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) seeking an investigation into the issuance of a diplomatic passport to the State Minister by the Department of Immigration and Emigration.

Herath alleged that issuing a diplomatic passport to the State Minister is against the Immigration and Emigration Act since she also has British citizenship.