Daisy Forrest to face mental evaluation before JMO tomorrow
– The Deputy Solicitor General informed the Colombo High Court today that Daisy Forrest, the grandmother of Yoshitha Rajapaksa who is facing charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, is scheduled to be examined tomorrow by the Colombo Judicial Medical Officer to determine whether she is mentally fit to stand trial.
This was conveyed to court when the case was taken up today before Colombo High Court Judge Rashmi Singappuli. The Attorney General has filed this case against the accused, alleging that between March 31, 2009 and December 12, 2013, they had committed an offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act by depositing over Rs. 59 million in ill-gotten funds into three fixed deposit accounts.The case was listed today to consider the proposed admissions. The DSG informed court that a related case involving the accused is currently being heard before High Court No. 08. He further told court that during those proceedings, counsel for Daisy Forrest had informed that she was not in a suitable mental condition to face trial.
Accordingly, the court in that matter had ordered a specialist medical report from the Colombo Judicial Medical Officer to determine whether the accused is mentally fit to stand trial, the DSG said.He added that, in compliance with that order, the accused is required to appear tomorrow for the medical examination. The DSG further submitted that once the report is received, the court in the present case would be able to consider whether the accused is mentally fit to stand trial.
He therefore requested court to postpone proceedings until the medical report is submitted. Having considered the submissions, the High Court Judge ordered that the case be recalled on February 9.
