The Court of Appeal has directed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) not to arrest Sri Lankan Pastor Jerome Fernando on his arrival in Sri Lanka.
The Court has also ordered Pastor Jerome to provide a statement to the CID within 48 hours of his arrival.
Pastor Jerome Fernando is wanted by the Sri Lanka Police after allegedly having made derogatory statements about Lord Buddha, Islam, and Hinduism in front of a packed congregation in May this year.
Video footage of his remarks had caused an uproar among the followers of Buddhism in the country. Following the uproar, Pastor Jerome Fernando issued multiple apologies regarding his controversial statement.
The CID obtained a travel ban against Pastor Jerome Fernando from the Fort Magistrate’s Court in May, but it was revealed that the pastor had left the country by that time.
Pastor Jerome Fernando also filed a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition requesting the court to issue an order preventing his arrest by the CID. He is yet to return to Sri Lanka.
In July, the Supreme Court was informed that investigations have found Rs. 12.2 billion worth of transactions related to bank accounts held by Pastor Jerome Fernando.
The transactions were found following the examination of 11 bank accounts held by the controversial pastor, while investigations are being conducted under the Prevention Of Money Laundering Act into the accounts. (NewsWire)
