AG ordered to present submissions on Gotabaya’s request

The Permanent High Court at Bar has ordered the Attorney General to present submissions on the 3rd of October regarding the request made by the former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa to release his passport which is currently in custody of the courts.

Rajapaksa had requested the court to release his passport as he is due to travel overseas for a medical examination and for handing over nominations for the upcoming presidential election.

A motion submitted by the former Defence Secretary through his attorneys was taken up before a three-judge bench consisting of Sampath Abeykoon, Sampath Wijeratne and Champa Janaki Rajaratne today (01).

President’s Counsel Ali Sabry, speaking on behalf of his client, requested the court to release Rajapaksa’s passport as he is required to hand over his passport when filing nomination papers for the election as the candidate of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna.

Speaking further, PC Sabry said his client, who underwent cardiac surgery in Singapore, is due to travel overseas from October 9-12 for a medical examination related to his surgery.

Accordingly, PC Sabry requested the court to release the passport which is currently held under the custody of courts and to lift the travel ban imposed on him.

In response, the Attorney General said he has no objections against this request by the defence.

Considering the presented submissions, the judge bench ordered to take up the case again on Wednesday (03) and ordered the Attorney General to inform the Attorney General’s stance regarding the request made by the defence on that day.

The case against the former Defence Secretary and six others was filed by the Attorney General, for allegedly misappropriating state funds amounting to Rs 33.9 million during the construction of the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum and Memorial in Medamulana.