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MR, Basil, Attygalle to not leave SL until midday today

15 Jul 2022

  • Trio give undertaking to SC as order on motion seeking foreign travel ban on trio pending
  • Travel ban imposed on former CBSL Governor Prof. W.D. Lakshman for not having legal representation present
BY Buddhika Samaraweera Former Prime Minister and incumbent Government MP Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, and former Finance Ministry and Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle yesterday (14) informed the Supreme Court (SC) that they would not leave the country until today (15), when the motion filed with the SC seeking the imposition of overseas travel bans on them, was taken up. The motion filed seeking foreign travel bans on those named as respondents in the fundamental rights (FR) petition filed with the SC by Chandra Jayaratne, Julian Bolling, Jehan Canagaretna, and Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL), seeking appropriate action against those responsible for the prevailing economic crisis in the country, was taken up before the SC yesterday. At that time, the counsel who appeared for the petitioners requested the court to impose travel restrictions on the respondents, while stating that if the respondents were to leave the country, the petitioners would be left with an “empty piece of paper” with no respondents to enforce the court's orders, even if they (the petitioners) would be successful in the case. He also informed the Court that Basil Rajapaksa attempted to leave the country on Monday (11), after the motion was filed. Following the said request, the counsel who appeared for the second, third, and 10th respondents, namely, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa, and Attygalle gave an undertaking to the court that the respondents would not leave the country until midday today, when the case would be taken up again. Meanwhile, the counsel who appeared for the seventh respondent of the case, former Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal informed the Court that Cabraal has two previous court orders restricting his overseas travel, and that therefore, Cabraal has no intention of leaving the country without the SC's approval. Meanwhile, the SC imposed a travel ban on former CBSL Governor Deshamanya and Emeritus Prof. W.D. Lakshman until today, as an Attorney-at-Law did not appear before the Court on his behalf. The case is to be taken up again today, before Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya PC, and Justices L.T.B. Dehideniya, Buwaneka Aluwihare PC, Priyantha Jayawardena PC, and Vijith Kumara Malalgoda PC. Early this week, a motion was filed with the SC seeking an order prohibiting Mahinda Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa, Cabraal, Prof. Lakshman, and several others from leaving the country. The motion was filed in relation to the FR petition which was filed with the SC by Jayaratne, Bolling, Canagaretna, and the TISL, seeking appropriate action against those responsible for the prevailing economic crisis in the country.


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