Johnston and Sons Remanded Until January 30

COLOMBO (News 1st); Former Minister Johnston Fernando, his sons, and other suspects have been remanded in custody once again.

The Wattala Additional Magistrate, Fatima Jifriya, ordered that former Minister Johnston Fernando, his sons Johaan Fernando and Jeromy Kenneth Fernando, along with two other suspects, be further remanded until January 30, in connection with allegations of misuse of state property.

When the case was taken up today, the former Minister, his sons Johaan Fernando and Jeromy Kenneth Fernando, former Sathosa Acting Managing Director Mohammed Shakir, and suspect Indika Rathnamalala were not produced before open court.

At that point, the Additional Magistrate contacted prison officials via WhatsApp to inquire whether the suspects could be produced before court through the same platform.

Prison officials responded by stating that steps would be taken to produce the suspects.

Subsequently, the Additional Magistrate informed the prison officials that as the permanent Magistrate was on leave, a future date would be fixed for the bail order and directed that the suspects be produced via WhatsApp.

Accordingly, the Magistrate fixed January 30 for the bail order and ordered that the suspects be further remanded until that date.

Presenting a further report on the progress of investigations, investigating officers informed court that steps are being taken to arrest the seventh suspect, identified as Saman Vithana.

The suspects are currently in remand custody in connection with an incident in which ethanol imported by a private company was illegally transported using a Sathosa-owned lorry and subsequently used for liquor production, causing a loss of nearly Rs. 244,000 to the state.