Former State Minister Diana Gamage declared before the Colombo High Court that she is innocent for the allegations in the case filed for allegedly making a forged Birth Certificate to obtain a National Identity Card.
When the case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Manjula Thilakeratne, all three charges filed in the indictment were read out to the accused in the open court.
The trial in the case commenced after the accused Diana Gamage pleaded not guilty to the charges.
PC Shanaka Ranasinghe appearing for the defence raised preliminary objections, arguing that the document in question was created in 2003, while the case was filed in 2024. He contended that over 20 years had elapsed, rendering the case legally unsustainable. He also argued that the first and second charges in the indictment could not be pursued against his client due to this time lapse.
However, the Colombo High Court Judge rejected the defense’s preliminary objections ruling that the trial should proceed, with such arguments to be considered only upon the conclusion of the prosecution’s case.
The case will be taken up again on March 5.
At a previous occasion, an indictment was served to former State Minister Diana Gamage and following serving the indictment, accused Gamage was released on cash bail of Rs. 25, 000 and two sureties of Rs. 1 million by the Colombo High Court.
The Attorney General had filed an indictment comprising three charges under the Penal Code in the Colombo High Court against Former State Minister Diana Gamage allegedly forging or abetting a birth certificate to deceive officials of the Registration of Persons Department to get a National Identity Card issued to her in the name of ‘Diana Gamage’ when her name was not legally amended, between the period of October 9, 2004 and December 1, 2004.
The Attorney General also named 14 productions and 23 prosecution witnesses over the case.
Dilshan Tharaka