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According to Lankan news outlet News First, a Sri Lankan court on Wednesday overturned the travel ban that had been placed on former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa because of the violence on May 9, 2022.
In addition to Rajapaksa, the Fort Magistrate’s Court completely abolished the travel restrictions placed on MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, and former provincial council member Kanchana Jayaratne.
Rajapaksa and others were subject to the ban due to ongoing investigations into their alleged role in the murderous attack on peaceful anti-government protestors in Colombo on May 9, 2022.
President’s Counsel Shavendra Fernando requested that the court lift the travel restrictions imposed on former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena, minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, and former provincial council member Kanchana Jayaratne, according to News First. He did this on the grounds that none of them had been named as suspects in the investigation.
The magistrate decided to waive the travel prohibition after hearing both sides of the argument, and he or she named the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration as the recipient of the order.
The travel prohibition, however, was prolonged until the following court hearing for two additional suspects, including MP Milan Jayathilake.
According to News First of Sri Lanka, the Magistrate also mandated the release of former bail recipients Hewagamage Manjula, Ramesh Bhanuka, Chamath Thivanka, and Nishantha De Mel from the case.
Prior to August 11, the Sri Lankan Supreme Court issued an interim order prohibiting their departure from the country without authorization.
According to the Colombo Gazette, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa, and former Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal have all filed a petition with the Supreme Court asking for an international travel ban.
According to a petition for fundamental rights submitted to the Supreme Court, the plea demanded that an investigation be conducted against those people who are to blame for Sri Lanka’s economic catastrophe.
In order to remove demonstrators from the region, on July 22, 2022, a sizable military contingent and police staged a raid close to the Presidential Secretariat and the Galle Face protest location. There were several arrests made.
Peaceful demonstrations started in March because many Sri Lankans were facing severe shortages of necessities including food and petrol. Mahinda Rajapaksa, the country’s former prime minister, resigned on May 9 as a result of the protests, and his brother, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, fled the country on July 13 and announced his resignation the next day.
Wickremasinghe took over as acting president, and parliament voted him as the next president on July 20 with the Rajapaksas’ political party, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, behind him.
