Diana's UK Visa case is postponed due to the magistrate's absence

Colombo Additional Magistrate Lahiru Silva on the 26th ordered the postponement of the evidence hearing in the case filed against former State Minister Diana Gamage until February 16th. The case pertains to obtaining a passport by submitting false information to the Controller of Immigration and Emigration and violating the Immigration and Emigration Act by staying in Sri Lanka without valid visas.

Although the hearing of evidence for one charge related to this case, filed by the Criminal Investigation Department, was scheduled for that day, the trial was postponed due to the absence of the Chief Magistrate in court. The Criminal Investigation Department has filed seven charges against Ms. Diana Gamage on the instructions of the Attorney General, and a decision had previously been made to commence the trial because she had declared herself innocent when those charges were read out on a previous occasion.

Among the charges leveled against the suspect, the main one is providing false information when applying for a passport at the Department of Immigration and Emigration, Battaramulla, on January 20, 2014. Additionally, she has been charged with staying in the country without valid visas during several periods: from July 2016 to July 2017, from July 2018 to July 2019, and from July 2020 to November.

The Criminal Investigation Department also reminded the court that the Supreme Court has ruled that Ms. Diana Gamage, who holds British citizenship, is unsuitable to hold a Member of Parliament position in the Sri Lankan Parliament. The former State Minister, who is currently out on bail, appeared before the court when the case was called, and further evidence hearings are scheduled for next month.