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CID wants to further question Swiss Embassy staffer
View(s):The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate that it needs to record further statements from local Swiss Embassy staffer Garnier Banister Francis as it has found no evidence to corroborate her claims that she was abducted.
Reporting its investigation into the incident, the CID informed Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne that though Ms. Francis had told officials of the Swiss Embassy that the incident had occurred near St. Bridget’s Convent in Cinnamon Gardens, her statement made to the CID on December 8 claimed that it had occurred at the Palmyrah Court apartment complex in Kollupitiya. However, the CID has found no evidence that any such incident occurred at the apartment complex, it told court.
The CID further informed court that it needed to record evidence from two other persons based on phone records obtained from Ms. Francis. The two people the CID want to question include another female employee of the Swiss embassy.
In its report to court, the CID has said that the embassy employee had fainted twice while giving her statement to detectives for a third day on December 8 and as such, the department was yet to conclude recording evidence from her.