Today (01), the leader of the National Freedom Front, MP Wimal Weerawansa has been acquitted of the case filed under the Immigration Act before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court against him.
Mr. Wimal Weerawansa, who was an opposition member of Parliament, had arrived at Katunayake Airport at around 2:00 AM on 23.10.2015 with a flight permit duly issued by the Immigration Department.
There, the immigration officials have informed that the passport is shown as a disabled passport in the data system. The officers had told the MP that if he brought a valid passport with him, he could go abroad as there was a valid visa in that permit.
The MP submitted the inactive passport to the head office and got a new passport the next day. After that, he came back to the airport the next morning with the new active flight permit and the inactive flight permit with active visa. At that time, the MP was arrested by immigration officers.
Mr. Sarath Jayamanna, the President’s lawyer who appeared for Mr. Wimal Weerawansa, repeatedly questioned why he was not arrested in the first instance if it was a criminal offense to bring an invalid passport.
Also, the lawyers representing the MP had also made a request for information from the Immigration Department under the Freedom of Information Act.
There, the Department of Immigration and Emigration had mentioned that it is possible to travel abroad with an active passport using valid visas on an inactive passport.
Also, the immigration officials testified that the passport presented by the MP was not forged or false.
Also, an Assistant Superintendent of Police had given approval for prosecution. But according to the sections of the Immigration Act mentioned in the approval letter, the Assistant Superintendent of Police did not have the authority to give approval and the approval should have been given by the Controller of Immigration.
Accordingly, it was requested on behalf of the accused Member of Parliament to take all these facts into consideration and acquit the MP without summoning the defense.
The Negombo Magistrate considered the request and acquitted MP Wimal Weerawansa.
President’s Counsel Sarath Jayamanna appeared for the defense along with lawyers Sajeeva Meegahawatta, Prashan Wickramaratne, Vineshka Mendis and Thilini Perera.
After the announcement of this decision, the leader of the National Freedom Front, Mr. Wimal Weerawansa, made a statement to NewsWave and said that he is now asking the people to prepare for the struggle to liberate the country.
