Sri Lanka, Dec. 4 -- Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne yesterday issued an order preventing Swiss Embassy employee Garliar Barister Francis, who was allegedly threatened and kidnapped by a group of unidentified men, from leaving the country until December 9.

The Magistrate also issued an order directing the concerned Embassy staffer to provide a statement to the Criminal Investigations Department before December 9.

The Chief Magistrate made this order pursuant to a request made by Senior State Counsel Janaka Bandara. Counsel Bandara, speaking for the CID, pleaded court to impose a travel ban on alleged abduction victim since the CID is required to record a statement from the victim. The victim had made a serious allegation that c...