Mahinda Rajapaksa goes to jail

Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa spent time briefly at the main prison in Colombo visiting his recently acquired ally Tissa Attanayake.

The former president spent a few minutes at the Welikada Prison Hospital where Attanayake has been warded since he was remanded a week ago on criminal charges of falsifying documents.

Rajapaksa was asked if he was trying to contest upcoming parliamentary elections, but remained non committal.

Asked if he was addressing a political rally next week organised by former Housing minister Wimal Weerawansa, Rajapaksa has told Economy Next news agency: “What meeting? Where? Ah Nugegoda? I didn’t know, I am coming from my village today.”

Attanayake, who defected from the then opposition United National Party and was made Health minister for less than three weeks, is accused of fabricating a document to discredit Sirisena and Wickremesinghe.

Attanayake has said that the purported document was received by him the day he assumed duties as health minister, but he also told investigators that at least two other individuals may have been behind the fabrication.