AG Says No Instructions in Gota Arrest Appeal Case

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has moved the Court of Appeal seeking an order to prevent his arrest in connection with ongoing investigations into the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, as the Attorney General informed court that no instructions have yet been received from the respondents regarding the matter.

The petition was taken up today before a bench comprising Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysooriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando.

During the proceedings, Justice Priyantha Fernando stated that he would not participate in the hearing of the case due to personal reasons.

Appearing on behalf of the petitioner, President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva informed court that an interim order was being sought to restrain authorities from arresting his client in relation to the investigations.

At the hearing, Deputy Solicitor General Suharshi Herath, appearing for the respondents, told court that the relevant case documents had only been received earlier in the day.

She further stated that she had not yet received any instructions from the respondents concerning the petition.

The Deputy Solicitor General also stressed that, in the absence of such instructions, she was unable to provide an undertaking to the court that the petitioner would not be arrested.

Following submissions from both parties, the Court of Appeal postponed further consideration of the petition until later this afternoon.