Arrest warrant issued for Johnston Fernando over court no-show

The Colombo High Court today (October 23) issued an arrest warrant for former Minister Johnston Fernando due to his failure to appear in court.

He is a defendant in a case filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

Fernando is accused of causing financial losses to the government by assigning 153 employees of the state-owned Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (Sathosa) to political work during his tenure as Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade from 2010 to 2014.

This alleged misuse of resources resulted in a loss of Rs. 40 million to the government.

The charges highlight a breach of official duties, as the employees were diverted from their roles for political purposes, violating regulations.

During today’s hearing, presided over by Colombo High Court Judge Manjula Thilakaratne, Fernando’s absence led to the issuance of the arrest warrant.

His legal counsel explained that Fernando was at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at the time, providing a statement about an unrelated case involving an unregistered luxury car reportedly found at a five-star hotel in Colombo.

Despite this explanation, the court insisted on his immediate arrest and appearance.

The case is set to continue, with the next hearing scheduled for January 27, 2025.