Pastor Jerome Fernando, the self-styled 'prophet' who stirred controversy with his inflammatory remarks about several religions, has been further remanded until December 27. The Colombo Fort Magistrate made this decision after Fernando was produced before the court this morning.

Fernando first landed in legal trouble on December 1 when he was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) shortly after arriving at their premises to record a statement for the second consecutive day. The controversial pastor had initially appeared at the CID on November 30, where he provided a statement that spanned approximately eight hours.

The arrest followed the circulation of a video featuring one of Fernando's sermons, causing outrage on social media due to allegations of derogatory statements directed at Lord Buddha and other religious figures. The video's virality triggered a swift response from authorities, leading to Fernando's detention.

Pastor Fernando, seeking to evade legal consequences, had left the country for Singapore on May 14, just two days before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court imposed a ban on his foreign travels. His return to Sri Lanka on November 29 marked the end of his months-long overseas stay.

Upon his arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake, Fernando faced immediate legal action, reflecting the gravity of the accusations against him. The decision to extend his remand until December 27 suggests that the legal process will continue to unfold, and authorities are adamant about addressing the contentious remarks made by the controversial pastor.