Posting fake news on FB: Undergrad granted bail

By Farook Thajudeen  

Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne yesterday released on bail the university student, who posted fake news on Facebook that the flight en route to China with President Maithripala Sirisena on board had crashed. 

The student arrested under emergency regulations was released on a cash bail Rs.100,000.  

When the case was taken up by earlier by Colombo Additional Magistrate Lochani Abeywickrama Weerasinghe, the police said the suspect was a resident of Piliyandala and an undergraduate of the Sri Jayawardenapura University.  

The Police requested the Magistrate to remand the suspect while the Counsel appearing for the suspect informed Court that his client had only shared a post which was originally posted by someone on Facebook and requested the Magistrate to release the suspect on bail.  

The Magistrate said at times such as these, the citizens should be mindful of their actions and what they share in public.