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Illegal emigrants further detained

by Sarath Malalasekera

The Colombo Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge A.A.R. Heiyanthuduwa yesterday directed the Attorney General to take suitable steps against the 51 suspects including 41 Pakistani nationals held under the Immigration and Emigration Act and inform Court on the next date, September 18.

The Judge made this order after submissions by the State Counsel, Defence Lawyers and the Counsel for the Pakistani Embassy.

The Judge issued notice on officials of the Immigration and Emigration Department to appear on the next date.

The Court also directed the Prisons Commissioner to take steps regarding food and medicine for the suspects.

Counsel for the Pakistani Embassy Abdul Mazoor said that the 41 Pakistani passports handed over to the Embassy are genuine. These passports belong to the Pakistan Government and the Pakistani nationals had obtained valid visas to enter Sri Lanka.

Counsel submitted that other than the Court no other person inquired from the Embassy regarding the passports. There are 10 persons detained without valid passports.

At this stage the Judge directed State Counsel Nirosha Fernando to take action against those who have no valid passports and inform Court on the next date.

The State Counsel moved court to grant one weeks time to obtain instructions regarding the 51 suspects.

The Judge also ordered, if necessary to handover the 41 passports to the Attorney General, to peruse them.

Titus Cooray, senior counsel for the first suspect, told court that his client had no hand whatsoever in this transaction. He was taken into custody without any valid reason, the Counsel said.

Joseph Charles who appeared for some of the suspects said that the Gampaha Police had detained the suspects illegally.

Ranjith Devapura, Sanjey Gamage and Indika Peiris who appeared for the other suspects also moved court to direct the Attorney General to take appropriate steps against their clients as early as possible.