Pastor Jerome Fernando, who left the country after he was accused of harming religious harmony by declaring to his followers a statement insulting Buddhism, returned to Sri Lanka early yesterday (29), after six months.
Pastor Jerome Fernando left the country as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) commenced an investigation into his statement.
He left the Bandaranaike International Airport on for Singapore on May 14. Two days later, the CID obtained a travel ban against him from court.
The CID was preparing to arrest him when he returned to Sri Lanka, but Jerome Fernando, through his lawyers, went to court to prevent the arrest. Accordingly, court issued an order to
the CID not to arrest him when he comes to Sri Lanka. However, court had ordered Fernando to give a statement to the CID within 48 hours of his arrival in Sri Lanka.
According to the court order, Pastor Jerome Fernando will give a statement before the Criminal Investigation Department.
Fernando had arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday (29) by a Qatar Airways flight from Doha. The plane landed at the Bandaranaike airport at around 1.32 am.
Subsequent to the Customs checks, Fernando had come out of the airport premises through the ‘Gold Route’ special guest arrivals lounge, which is paid for and had then left the airport.
Sources at the airport disclosed that two others have also arrived with the pastor.
Gayan Kumara Weerasinghe and T.K.G.Kapila