October 20, 2022
2 mins read

Sri Lanka SC orders to summon Gotabaya on rights case

Gotabaya, who served as Defence Secretary when the two men disappeared was prior asked by the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court to appear in court on 27th September and provide evidence…reports Asian Lite News

Sri Lankan Supreme Court on Wednesday has given orders to summon former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the disappearance of two human rights activists in 2011 as he is now out of constitutional powers.

The order was issued after taking up for consideration a petition filed by the relatives of human rights and political activists, Lalith Weeraraj and Kugan Murugananthan who went missing on December 9, 2011, when Gotabaya Rajapaksa was serving as the Defence Secretary, NewsWire reported.

Gotabaya, who served as Defence Secretary when the two men disappeared was prior asked by the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court to appear in court on 27th September and provide evidence.

However, the former president dodged the court’s orders and claimed danger to his life if he were to appear in court to provide the evidence, according to NewsWire. He later filed a motion at the Court of Appeal, seeking an order to suspend the order of the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court in the disappearance case.

Later, Gotabaya was elected as the President of Sri Lanka when the verdict was announced on the disappearnce case, however, he was freed from summoning due to his title and the constitutional powers that followed.

As soon as he resigned from his position due to the crisis in the country, the family of victims filed the petition, hearing which the Supreme Court on Wednesday instructed the lawyer representing the petitioners to issue a new notice to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to appear before the court to provide evidence.

The Supreme Court also fixed the next hearing of the petition for 15th December 2022, NewsWire reported.

The former president fled the county following mass agitations calling for his resignation on July 9. Rajapaksa fled Sri Lanka in the early hours of July 13 after massive protests erupted in Colombo and demonstrators angry with the country’s economic crisis stormed his official residence and office.

He resigned as president after reaching Singapore, where he was issued a 14-day visit pass.

He had fled to Singapore via the Maldives and then spent a few weeks in Thailand. He returned to Sri Lanka almost after two months after fleeing to Thailand.

Sri Lanka is suffering its worst economic crisis since gaining independence in 1948, which comes on the heels of successive waves of COVID-19, threatening to undo years of development progress and severely undermining the country’s ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). (ANI)

ALSO READ: Lanka looks to India for help finding missing Navy boat

Previous Story

FATF poised to overlook Pak’s support to terrorists

Next Story

Health tips to have a guilt free Diwali

Latest from -Top News

Taipei Gets Tough on Beijing

The new move marks one of the most comprehensive efforts in recent years to strengthen Taiwan’s legal defences against Beijing’s covert attempts…reports Asian Lite News Taiwanese lawmakers from both the ruling and

Pakistan Warns Afghanistan War

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that Islamabad could enter an “open war” with Kabul if peace talks in Istanbul fail to ease rising Afghan border tensions…reports Asian Lite News Pakistan’s Defence

UN Signs Landmark Cybercrime Treaty

Malaysia’s foreign minister warned ASEAN is losing neutrality amid rising global power competition, ahead of the bloc’s annual summit….reports Asian Lite News Sixty-five nations have signed a landmark United Nations convention in

Malaysia Warns ASEAN Neutrality Eroding

Malaysia’s foreign minister warned ASEAN is losing neutrality amid rising global power competition, ahead of the bloc’s annual summit….reports Asian Lite News  Malaysia’s foreign minister has warned Southeast Asian counterparts that the
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Dengue cases see rise all over Lanka

Half the cases were reported from the Western province, comprising

Curfew lifted in Lanka

Sri Lankan Opposition leader said the cabinet resignation is being