Dr. Shafi remanded till 25 July

•  AG’s department informs Court detention order has been withdrawn
•  But Court decides he cannot be released as it will create public uproar 
•  New special medical committee appointed 

Kurunegala Teaching Hospital employee Dr. Mohamed Shafi was further remanded until 25 July by the Kurunegala Magistrate’s Court yesterday, due to the seriousness of the charges against him, and on the basis that releasing him would result in a public uproar. 

Dr. Shafi appeared in Court on Thursday over the case where he has been accused of performing illegal sterilisation surgeries, and having links to terrorist activities. Kurunegala Magistrate Sampath Hewawasam also decided to cancel the special medical committee which was appointed to gather information on the HSG tests to be conducted on the women who lodged complaints against Dr. Shafi.   

In order for the Court to make an informed decision, and for the assistance of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Magistrate ordered a special committee of no more than five people be formed under the leadership of the Colombo Medical Faculty Dean.     

The Magistrate also ordered the CID to get a report by the Government Valuers Department, to be submitted to Court, to ascertain whether Dr. Shafi had gathered assets in an illegal manner.  

Deputy Solicitor General Thusith Mudalige informed the Kurunegala Magistrate’s Court that the three-month detention order against Dr. Shafi has been withdrawn, as the evidence presented against him was inadequate to prove that he was linked to terrorist activities.

Speaking on behalf of the Attorney General, Deputy Solicitor General Thusith Mudalige said the three-month detention order against Dr. Shafi was withdrawn on Wednesday after the Ministry of Defence was informed that the evidence against Dr. Shafi was inadequate to prove that he had received funds from a terrorist organisation to promote their activities.

The Deputy Solicitor General continued that the charges laid against Dr. Shafi for allegedly accumulating assets via suspicious means are being investigated further.

He stressed that no claim which can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Dr. Shafi had committed offences that violate the Prevention of Money Laundering Act has come up as of yet, however investigations on the matter are currently underway.