February 08, Colombo (LNW): The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has come under scrutiny for initiating legal proceedings against Pastor Jerome Fernando, a self-proclaimed prophet in Sri Lanka, for alleged illegal assets in a jurisdictional area distant from the incident.
Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage expressed strong disapproval of the CID’s handling of the case, questioning why it was not brought before the nearest judicial authority, a report by Daily News disclosed.
The Magistrate’s inquiry followed reports that a case had been filed against Pastor Jerome in the Mount Lavinia Court under the Money Laundering Act for purported illegal assets.
Asserting his intention to seek clarification from the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) on the matter, the Magistrate also indicated that disciplinary measures might be taken against the CID for not adhering to proper jurisdictional procedures.
Additionally, the Magistrate ordered that the case against Fernando be scheduled for a hearing on April 3, 2024.
