Shashi Weerawansa granted anticipatory bail in forged passport case

21-Aug-2026

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The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court has ordered that Shashi Weerawansa, wife of former Minister Wimal Weerawansa, be released on anticipatory bail until the conclusion of the hearing of the appeal filed before the Supreme Court against the two-year prison sentence imposed on her.

The order was made when the case was taken up before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanka S. Bodaragama on August 20. Shashi Weerawansa was also present in court.

Shashi Weerawansa had been convicted under the Immigration and Emigration Act for unlawfully obtaining a passport by submitting forged documents. The Colombo Magistrate’s Court had sentenced her in 2022 to two years’ imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs.100,000.

The court was informed that an appeal filed by her against the sentence had been dismissed by the Colombo High Court. However, counsel appearing for Shashi Weerawansa submitted that an appeal had subsequently been filed before the Supreme Court challenging the High Court decision.

Counsel requested that she be granted anticipatory bail until the conclusion of the Supreme Court proceedings, as the Supreme Court had decided to hear the appeal next month to consider the facts relating to the matter.

The Chief Magistrate ordered that Shashi Weerawansa be released on anticipatory bail, subject to the Supreme Court being informed of the matter, noting that the appeal had been filed within the statutory 42-day period available to a party seeking to challenge a High Court judgment before the Supreme Court.

The case was ordered to be called again on 27 September.