An illegally assembled luxury BMW in Colombo belonging to former Sri Lankan minister Johnston Fernando is suspected to have been reported stolen in England, confirmed Sri Lankan police.
Former Minister Johnston Fernando was arrested over the vehicle this week; which police believe may have been smuggled into the island illegally.
DIG Nihal Thalduwa, the police spokesperson told reporters the chassis and engine number of the BMW, which was parked at the Hilton hotel in Colombo, matched that of a similar luxury car, reported missing in England in 2021, based on the details provided on the INTERPOL website.
The situation becomes even murkier when Sri Lanka Customs confirmed that no vehicle matching the BMW’s chassis number had been legally imported into the country.
Though it remains unclear what prompted authorities to search the vehicle outside of the Hilton, when they did, several documents belonging to the minister were found inside, but none related to the vehicle’s registration.
Further investigation revealed that the number plate had been registered under a private firm in Nawala, and the owner indicated it had been stolen from the firm’s premises.
Fernando was arrested and is currently being held in remand at Welikada prison.
A few days prior to this incident, the Kandy Division Criminal Investigation Bureau confiscated a BMW and a Prado jeep, valued at approximately Rs. 60 million, from the residence of former Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena’s son-in-law in Aniwatta, Kandy.
Fernando is a Rajapaksa loyalist and member of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). Earlier today, the former president and accused war criminal Mahinda Rajapaksa visited Fernando in prison.
