Sri Lanka court bars ex-PM Mahinda Rajapaksa from leaving country

Sri Lanka’s top court Friday barred the country’s former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa from leaving the country until July 28 without permission, Transparency International Sri Lanka said. Three other former officials, including two former central bank governors, also cannot leave the country without the court’s permission till July 28, the anti-corruption group said in a tweet.

Lawyers appearing for former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and former Finance Secretary S.R. Attygalle yesterday told the Supreme Court that they would not leave the country until the Fundamental Rights petition filed against them was heard on Friday.Former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal has also said he will be present when the case is taken up.A fundamental rights petition has been filed by the former Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) Chandra Jayaratne, asking the Supreme Court to investigate those responsible for the current economic crisis.