Sri Lanka orders medical test for Swiss employee

She had alleged abduction, sexual assault

A Sri Lankan court on Monday ordered a Swiss embassy employee at the centre of an argument between Colombo and Bern to undergo a medical examination, after she said she was abducted and sexually assaulted.

The Sri Lankan national alleged she was kidnapped and forced to divulge sensitive details about her work in November, a day after a senior police officer sought asylum in Switzerland.

The police officer who fled to Switzerland had been investigating several cases involving members of the Rajapaksa family who regained power after Gotabaya Rajapaksa was elected president last month.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne ordered that the woman be examined by a judicial medical officer after Swiss authorities said she was also sexually harassed by her unknown attackers.

The magistrate also ordered her to remain in the country until Thursday to assist the investigation.

Sri Lanka has cast doubts over her claims of abduction while Bern has stood by her account. The embassy also maintained she was not medically fit to speak about her ordeal.