A young lawyer has been reprimanded after attempting to make a video call on behalf of his foreign national client in court custody, appearing before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court today.
The Negombo Magistrate issued a stern warning to the lawyer and released him, while also issuing an order prohibiting him from appearing in that particular case or attending court during its proceedings in the future.
This incident occurred in Courtroom No. 02 of the Negombo Magistrate’s Court, during the hearing of a case involving 21-year-old British flight attendant Charlotte May Lee, who was named as a suspect after being arrested at Sri Lanka’s airport with 46.6 kilograms of Kush, the largest quantity ever seized in the airport’s customs history.
It is reported that the lawyer in question had requested permission from prison officers to speak with the detained client, and the officers had observed him activating his mobile phone and placing it inside his court bag.
When officers saw him speaking closely with the detainee, they investigated further and confirmed that a video call was being made. The phone was then confiscated and presented to the Magistrate during the hearing, along with a formal report of the incident.
During the proceedings, the Magistrate warned the lawyer that if this matter were reported to the Supreme Court, his legal license could be revoked.
The Magistrate emphasized that while lawyers are permitted to bring mobile phones into court for official duties, such privileges must not be misused for inappropriate conduct.
Given that this was the lawyer’s first offence, the Magistrate granted leniency but issued an order prohibiting him from appearing in this particular case or attending court during its hearings. The mobile phone was returned following this directive.
Meanwhile, the Magistrate ordered that the British national female suspect remain in remand custody until September 3.
Charlotte May Lee, a 21-year-old from South London, was arrested by Sri Lanka Customs on May 13 for allegedly attempting to illegally bring narcotics into the country. She was found in possession of a large quantity of drugs.
The former flight attendant denied any knowledge of the drugs in her luggage, claiming that someone else may have placed them there. She has now been in custody for over 90 days. (Newswire)
