The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has put off to October 12 the case involving Shashi Weerawansa, wife of former Minister Wimal Weerawansa, over her conviction for possessing an illegal diplomatic passport, Hiru News reported on Monday.
The matter was called before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama. Shashi Weerawansa, who remains out on bail following her conviction, appeared in court.
Why the date moved
The court was told that the Colombo High Court has upheld her prison sentence, and that an appeal has since been filed with the Supreme Court.
Chief Magistrate Bodaragama granted time for the Supreme Court proceedings relating to that appeal to be submitted, and postponed the case to October 12 because those records had not yet been presented to the court.
The conviction being appealed
The Colombo High Court rejected her appeal in June, with Judge Manjula Thilakaratne affirming the magistrate’s 2022 ruling that sentenced her to two years in prison and imposed a Rs. 100,000 fine. Monday’s hearing is the magistrate’s court tracking that appeal as it moves up to the Supreme Court.
The passport case is distinct from the CIABOC assets case against the Weerawansas over allegedly unexplained assets, which was fixed for September 22 in the Colombo High Court earlier this month.
A note on sourcing
LankaNewz found no account of Monday’s hearing from a second reachable verified newsroom; Ada Derana was inaccessible. The details above rest on Hiru News alone.
