GR requests permission from High Court to travel abroad

By Manopriya Gunasekara 

The Special High Court yesterday ordered the Attorney General to present submissions on 3 October regarding the request made by former Defence Secretary and presidential hopeful Gotabaya Rajapaksa to release his passport, which is currently in the custody of the courts, to travel abroad for medical treatment. 

Gotabaya Rajapaksa

Rajapaksa is accused of misappropriating state funds worth Rs. 33.9 million for the construction of the D.A. Rajapaksa Memorial museum and is facing a travel ban over the case.

Rajapaksa had requested the court to release his passport as he is due to travel overseas from 9-12 October for a medical examination. He also told court that the medical report was necessary as it was to be handed over to the Elections Commission as part of his effort to contest the presidential election in November.

A motion submitted by Rajapaksa through his attorneys was taken up before a three-judge bench consisting of Sampath Abeykoon, Sampath Wijeratne and Champa Janaki Rajaratne yesterday.

President’s Counsel Ali Sabry, speaking on behalf of Rajapaksa, requested the court to release Rajapaksa’s passport as he was required to obtain the medical report and present it to the Elections Commission. PC Sabry also said Rajapaksa, who underwent cardiac surgery in Singapore recently, is due to travel overseas from 9-12 October for a medical examination related to his surgery.

The Attorney General's Department, which is prosecuting the case, told court that they had no objection to the request, but would require time until 3 October to study the medical documents.

Considering the submissions, the judges ordered the case to be taken up on Wednesday and ordered the Attorney General’s Department to inform court of its view regarding the request made by Rajapaksa.