The case filed against Swiss Embassy Staffer Garnier Bannister for allegedly providing false information to embarrass the Government was fixed for Pre-trial-conference on October 12 by the Colombo High Court.
The case was taken up before the Colombo High Court Judge Namal Balalle. President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa appearing for the defense, made submissions before the Court and sought from the Court to fix the case for pre-trial conference.
Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara appearing on behalf of the Attorney General making submissions before the Court pointed out that the trial has already been delayed due to various reasons and sought a shorter date be set for pre-trial-conference.
Considering the submission made by the both parties, the Colombo High Court Judge ordered that the case be taken for pre-trial conference on October 12.
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, a Sri Lankan Tamil woman from Maligawatta who works at the Swiss Embassy as a visa officer, lodged a complaint that she was kidnapped and assaulted by five men in the Cinnamon Gardens (Kuruduwatta) area on November 25, 2019, sexually assaulted and detained for several hours after questioning, over the alleged issuing of a visa to Nishantha Silva who worked as an CID Inspector. 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, Garnier Barrister Francis was summoned to the CID for questioning, but on her failure to do so, the Colombo Chief Magistrate had imposed a travel ban against her and ordered her to appear before the CID before December 9.
Also, on December 16, on the instructions of the Attorney General, Garnier Barrister was made a suspect in the case and was arrested by the CID and produced before Court. She was subsequently remanded and was released on bail on December 30, 2019.
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