Johnston remanded till tomorrow

Johnston remanded till tomorrow!

4.45 p.m. Update

Former Minister Mr. Johnston Fernando after being taken into custody by the Colombo Police Financial

Crimes Investigation today was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate at about 4.30 in the evening. He was then ordered to be remanded till tomorrow (6) and to be produced before Kurunegala Magistrate.

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Johnston Fernando arrested over 5 million fraud of Sathosa

3.15 p.m.

Former Minister Mr. Johnston Fernando who was summoned for interrogation to the Police Financial Investigation Division of Colombo today was taken into custody a short while ago, it was reported. He was called in to be questioned over an incident of not reimbursing the monies amounting to close upon 5 million rupees in respect of a stock of goods acquired from the Sathosa by him at the time he was the Minister in charge of the subject. The former Minister obliged by coming this morning to the PFID to give a statement. On the questions posed at him he had been unable to prove how he had utilized that money and the police say that information has been exposed that he had been involved in this fraud. As such, he was taken into after the interrogation.

He is expected to be brought forward to the magistrate court today. In the same manner former Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa too was taken into custody a few days prior to this.