The Attorney General informed the Colombo High Court yesterday that as the prosecution they are raising objections against the request made
by accused Swiss Embassy Staffer Garnier Bannister to go abroad, in the case of providing false information to embarrass the government.
When the case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Namal Balalle, the defence appearing for the accused sought from the Court to travel to Switzerland for medical treatment and said that her husband and children live there.
Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara appearing on behalf of the Attorney General informed Court that the case should be tried promptly and if she goes abroad, the trial may be hindered and said that she should not be allowed to go abroad.
The Solicitor General added that the Attorney General is ready to conclude the case on a daily basis. After considering the facts, the Colombo High Court Judge fixed the case for Pre-trial-conference on July 6 and the order regarding allowing the accused to go abroad will be given on that day.
The Attorney General filed an indictment in the Colombo High Court against Swiss Embassy Staffer Garnier Bannister Francis over fabricating false evidence over an abduction of her by the CID officers.
Garnier Bannister Francis, who works at the Swiss Embassy lodged a complaint that she was kidnapped and assaulted by five men in the Cinnamon Gardens (Kurunduwatta) area on November 25, 2019, sexually assaulted and detained for several hours after questioning issuing visa to Nishantha Silva who worked as an Inspector to the CID. A second official of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Switzerland had lodged a written complaint with the Acting Inspector General of Police on November 27, 2019.
The CID had commenced investigations on the instructions of the Acting Inspector General of Police and the complaint stated that the abducted woman had been abducted while going to her child’s school that day.
During the investigation, the Garnier Bannister Francis was summoned to the CID for interrogation, but on her failure to do so, the Colombo Chief Magistrate, who had imposed a travel ban against her from traveling abroad and ordered her to appear before the CID before December 9.
Also, on December 16, 2019, on the instructions of the Attorney General, the Garnier Bannister was named as a suspect in the case and the CID arrested her and produced her before court.
Following that, she was remanded and was released on bail on December 30, 2019.
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