Sri Lanka’s war crimes accused former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is expected to return to the island on 24 August, claims former Sri Lankan ambassador Udayanga Weeratunga.
The former president fled the country in July amidst mass protests over Sri Lanka’s economic collapse. Whilst initially seeking shelter in the Maldives, the president has been country hopping in the hopes of avoiding prosecution. Following the Maldives, he left for Singapore and has since gone to Thailand, where officials have advised him not to leave the hotel for security reasons.
Amidst the turmoil, there are conflicting reports over the president’s expenses, with the Sri Lankan government claiming last night that Rajapaska’s trips were not siphoned from the public’s expenses but rather his private funds. However, Cabinet Co-Spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardena has also told the media that Rajapaksa was fully entitled to use public funds.
“It is true that former President Rajapaksa took a private plane to fly to Bangkok last week. All former Presidents are entitled to certain perks and privileges as per the law,” Gunawardena told journalists at a press briefing.
The Financial Times LK, reports that Rajapaksa’s stay in the Singapore hotel alone is rumoured to be around Rs. 65 million. This is at a time when millions of Sri Lankans are struggling to feed their families and secure basic essentials such as medicine and fuel.
Sri Lanka’s current President, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has stressed his view that now is not the right time for Rajapaksa to return. This is despite a Supreme Court order demanding Rajapaksa return to face court on 1 August.
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