Court fines Illegal emigrants

Colombo Chief Magistrate imposed a fine of Rs. 50,000 each on 13 persons who pleaded guilty on attempting to migrate to Italy from the Wennappuwa seashore illegally.

The Chief Magistrate Nishantha Hapuarachchi while imposing the fine further handed the accused one year’s rigorous imprisonment suspended for five years. The accused are Duminda Fernando, Lanka Perera, P.K. Lalith Sanjeewa, H.D. Juwan Appuhamy, T. M. Premaratna, Sanjeewa Liyanage, K. Wasantha Thushara Fernando, H.G. Dulip Nissanka, B. Gerard Sandun, D. Ananda Nirodha, W. A. Pradeep, S. Wijayan and  Nirmal,  residents of  Dankotuwa and Chilaw.

The CID charged the suspects under the Immigration and Emigration Act for attempting to leave the country illegally in a fishing vessel JMJ from the Wennappuwa sea shore on August 02, 2003.

The accused were arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy while waiting to board the fishing vessel.

Following an application made by the accused counsel Aruna Nishantha the Magistrate allowed the accused to pay the fine in installments. Counsel Ms. Maheshika Bakmeewewa prosecuted with the CID.  The case was postponed for November 21.