Currency forger gets RI

Sarath MALALASEKERA

Colombo Fort Magistrate and Additional District judge Lanka Jayaratne yesterday imposed a jail term of 18 months rigorous imprisonment suspended for a period of seven years. on a foreigner and imposed a fine of Rs. 3,000 when he pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against him for tendering forged foreign currency notes to the Bank of Ceylon in Colombo.

In default of the fine he was further sentenced to one months simple imprisonment.

Two other Sri Lankans accused and also pleaded guilty of the charge were sentenced to one year's RI suspended for a period of seven years and imposed a fine of Rs.3,000 each.

In default of the fines the two accused were further sentenced to one month's simple imprisonment.

On an application by Senior Defence Counsel Neville Abeyratne, Judge Jayaratne directed the Controller of Immigration and Emigration to allow the foreigner to leave the country and directed the CID to release his passport.

Senior Defence Counsel Neville Abeyratne at the outset pleading in mitigation of sentence submitted to court that the foreign national will leave the country immediately after the case and moved court to release his passport and inform the Controller of Immigration and Emigration about the court order.

Senior Defence Counsel Neville Abeyratne with Deemani Baddewela and Jayantha Dias Nanayakkara appeared for the foreign national and the two Sri Lankan accused. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) appeared for the prosecution.