Court imposes travel ban on MT New Diamond's Captain

Colombo Chief Magistrate Mohammed Mihal yesterday (28) imposed a travel ban on the Captain of the stricken oil tanker "MT New Diamond." 

The Magistrate however, rejected a request by the Attorney General to remand Steiros Ilias, the Greek captain of the vessel. 

Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Dileepa Peiris, who appeared for the Attorney General, told court that the oil layer that had leaked from the tanker measured two metres thick and 400 metres in width. It had polluted an area encompassing 2 nautical miles from the location where the ship initially caught fire, he added.

He added that the AG was planning to file legal action against the Captain in relation to the case and asked court to remand him in custody to ensure that he will be present in court again when that happens. 

Lawyers who appeared for Captain Ilias however, argued that their client had presented himself before court in line with the notice issued against him, but that a Magistrate's Court could not give an order in this matter. They insisted that this could be done only by a High Court. 

Taking the matter into consideration, the magistrate stated that the court did not have authority to issue an order in this case and that it could only be done by a High Court. As such, he rejected the AG's request to remand the suspect but barred him from leaving the country.

By Manopriya Gunasekara