Sri Lankan govt directs police to arrest local Swiss embassy staffer

Sri Lanka's Attorney General on Monday ordered the authorities to arrest a local female Swiss Embassy staffer, who has been at the center of a controversy, for making a "false complaint" about her abduction and attempting to create unrest in the country. The staffer, identified as Garnier Banister Francis in the local media, had claimed that she had been abducted by an unknown gang on November 25 and assaulted before being freed.

The staff member claimed that the abductors forced her to hand over sensitive information - reportedly including the names of Sri Lankans who had sought asylum in Switzerland. Switzerland had lodged a strong protest with the Sri Lankan government and called for a full-scale investigation into the staffer's abduction. The Swiss Embassy also lodged a police complaint following the accusation.

The government which carried out a thorough investigation following a formal complaint by Swiss ambassador Hans Peter Mock accused the female employee of contradicting her abduction claim. The Attorney General on Monday instructed the authorities to arrest her for causing maligning the government by making a "false complaint".

The staffer, who was banned from leaving the country, will be produced in court later on Monday. The Sri Lankan government says her narrative of the alleged abduction is contrary to the evidence gathered by the police. The police also deny that its officer was involved in the alleged abduction.

The abductors had reportedly sought information from the staffer on a top police officer who had fled the country after the presidential election held on November 16. The Swiss authorities reportedly granted the officer and his family political asylum.

The officer under the scanner is the one who had carried out investigations against top government officials prior to 2015 when Mahinda Rajapaksa was heading the government and his family members were part of it.