News
Medical report on Daisy Forrest’s dementia requested
View(s):By Ranjith Padmasiri
Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Janaka Bandara this week requested the Colombo High Court to order that a report by a full medical board be obtained regarding claims that suspect Daisy Forrest has been suffering from dementia since 2016. He noted that though her lawyers claim she has been suffering from the illness since 2016, no information regarding this had been submitted before.
DSG Bandara made the request after Anil De Silva, PC, appearing for Ms. Forrest, stated that it has become difficult to obtain instructions on proceeding further with the case as his client has been afflicted with dementia, which results in people being unable to recall past actions. Ms. Forrest is the second accused in the case filed against her and the first accused, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son Yoshitha Rajapaksa, regarding possession of lands and property worth over Rs. 59.6 million acquired illegally.
When the case was taken up before High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga, Mr. De Silva further told court that his client is coming to court under the impression she is attending Sunday Mass in Church. As such, he urged the court to discharge her from the case considering her health condition. He added that the Nugegoda District Court has also given an order that Ms. Forrest cannot independently control lands and properties registered under her name due to her health condition and that according to the court’s order, a different person has been appointed to handle her property on her behalf.
DSG Bandara though, countered that the accused had not disclosed this matter when making a statement before the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court in 2016. He argued that while the assets in the case were in the name of the second accused, it was the first accused who had given her money to purchase the assets and that discharging her from the case would give undue advantage to another party, which should not be allowed.
When asked by the judge, the Criminal Investigation Department stated the accused had not made any mention regarding her dementia when they recorded a statement from her.
Having considered the facts presented before him, High Court Judge Ranatunga ordered the prosecution to inform the court of the Attorney General’s stance on whether the accused should be discharged from the case or not.
State Counsel Oswald Lakshman Perera, along with DSG Janaka Bandara appeared for the prosecution. President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis appeared for Yoshitha Rajapaksa.
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