News

Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has informed the Supreme Court that he is ready to testify in the case concerning the 2011 disappearance of activists Lalith Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganandan, but requested the hearing to be held in Colombo citing security concerns.

His legal counsel, President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva, told the court that while Rajapaksa is ready to give evidence but requested to give evidence in Colombo due to security concerns.

This position was stated during the hearing of an appeal filed by the parents of the missing activists, represented by Attorney-at-Law Nuwan Bopage. The families were challenging a previous Court of Appeal ruling that quashed a 2019 summons issued to Rajapaksa by the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court to appear as a witness in the habeas corpus case.

A three-judge Supreme Court bench—Justices Yasantha Kodagoda, Kumuduni Wickremasinghe, and Shiran Gooneratne—directed that a motion be filed at the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court within four weeks, requesting appropriate directions based on Rajapaksa’s current stance.

With both parties agreeing to this arrangement, the Supreme Court dismissed the current appeal.

The two human rights activists were reported missing on December 9, 2011, and have not been found since. Their disappearance remains one of the unresolved cases that has drawn attention from local and international rights groups.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake arrived at Velana International Airport this morning (28), marking the start of his state visit to the Maldives.

Upon arrival, he was warmly received by Maldivian President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, with a Guard of Honour from the Maldives National Defence Force.

As part of the airport welcome ceremony, a group of young girls performed a vibrant cultural dance, following which President Dissanayake interacted briefly with the performers.

The official ceremony to welcome President Dissanayake is scheduled to take place this afternoon at Republic Square in Malé, under the patronage of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu.

President Dissanayake is accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, along with a delegation of senior government officials.

The Government of the Maldives has announced that Sri Lankan citizens will now be eligible for free 90-day on-arrival tourist visas.

According to a statement from the Sri Lanka President's Media Division, the decision was made during President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s official visit to the Maldives.

To obtain the visa, Sri Lankan travelers must present a valid passport and provide proof of sufficient financial means to cover their expenses during their stay in the Maldives.

The Maldivian government has stated that this visa facilitation is offered under the framework of the bilateral visa agreement between the two countries and in accordance with Maldivian immigration laws and regulations. The initiative aims to promote mutual cooperation and ease of travel between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Mrs. P.A.G. Fernando as the Chief Secretary of Uva Province, effective immediately.

The letter of appointment was officially handed over to her by the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (28).

Mrs. Fernando, a Special Grade Officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service, previously served as the Secretary to the Ministry of Education Cultural & Arts, Sports & Youth Affairs & Information Technology Western Province

Rochelle Abeygunawardena, daughter of former Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena, has been taken into custody by the Panadura-Walana Central Anti-Corruption Unit in connection with an ongoing investigation into the illegal importation and registration of a luxury vehicle.

She surrendered to the unit earlier today (30) through legal representation and was subsequently questioned for nearly seven hours.

Following the interrogation, she was formally placed under arrest.

Rochelle Abeygunawardena was arrested over the unlawful import and assembly of a high-end Jeep.

An arrest warrant has been issued today (July 28) against Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa by the Hambantota Magistrate’s Court.

The warrant was issued after MP Rajapaksa failed to appear in court for a case that was scheduled to be taken up for hearing today.

Sri Lanka’s newly appointed High Commissioner-designate to India, Mahishini Colonne, presented her credentials to Indian President, Droupadi Murmu, today.

She presented her credentials at a ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Mahishini Colonne was appointed to the post by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in May this year.

Former Sri Lanka Navy Commander Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with an investigation into the abduction and murder of an individual in the Pothuhera area.

At the time of the incident, Admiral Ulugetenne served as the Head of Naval Intelligence, and the alleged victim was reportedly held in a clandestine detention facility operated under his command.

Police stated that the investigation was initiated based on a letter allegedly sent from the detention center.

Several suspects have already been arrested in connection with the case.

Former SDIG Priyantha Jayakody, who was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) yesterday, has been remanded until 06 August.

He was remanded after being presented before the Mahara Magistrate’s Court today.

The Sri Lanka Police earlier said that Priyantha Jayakody was arrested, based on a probe into an incident of threatening former Public Security Minister Tiran Alles and SDIG Lalith Pathinayake.

The Police said a suspect was arrested yesterday for allegedly threatening former minister Tiran Alles and SDIG Lalith Pathinayake, pretending to be an underworld figure residing overseas.

Interrogations of the suspect had revealed that the man had pretended to be an underworld figure and had threatened former minister Alles and SDIG Pathinayake at the request of former SDIG Priyantha Jayakody.

Based on the revelation, the CID arrested former SDIG Priyantha Jayakody yesterday and produced him in court today.

Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said same-sex marriage is not a human right and should not be permitted, speaking at a religious ceremony held at St. Anne’s Church in Beruwala.

The Cardinal warned against the increasing promotion of what he described as “corrupt ideologies” in modern society, including the push for same-sex marriage, which he claimed undermines traditional family values.

“How can two men build a family? How can they have children?” Cardinal Ranjith questioned, adding that marriage should not be treated as a temporary experience and must be based on moral and spiritual understanding.

He further stated that young men and women today often enter relationships without proper awareness or commitment, contrasting it with earlier times when marriages were arranged with parental guidance and blessings.

Cardinal Ranjith emphasized that such traditional unions were more successful and contributed to stable families, calling on society to resist what he described as distorted notions of human rights.

The Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court today (29) ordered the release of former Minister Duminda Dissanayake from the case filed over the discovery of a gold-plated T-56 firearm at an apartment complex in Havelock Town, citing lack of evidence.

During court proceedings, Magistrate Chathurika de Silva ordered the release of former Minister Dissanayake due to the absence of direct and circumstantial evidence related to the case.

The former Minister was taken into custody on 23 May in connection with investigations regarding ownership of a gold-plated T-56 type firearm found at a housing complex in Havelock Town.

The gold-plated T-56 assault rifle was discovered inside a woman’s travel bag at the apartment complex.

After being presented before the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court, Duminda Dissanayake was ordered to be remanded.

Later, after considering a bail request submitted by him, he was released on bail under strict conditions on 14 July.

The Ministry of Public Security announced plans to deploy 10,000 civil security officers to support the police service.

Deputy Minister of Public Security, Attorney-at-Law Sunil Watagala, said that the newly recruited officers will be assigned to police stations across the country.

He added that drug prevention operations have been intensified island-wide and are being carried throughout the day.