Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, through his legal counsel, informed the Supreme Court today (30) that he is willing to provide testimony in the Habeas Corpus case concerning the disappearance of two human rights activists—Lalith Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganandan—in 2011. The case was initially filed by the victims’ relatives before the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court.
President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva, appearing on behalf of Rajapaksa, conveyed this position when the related appeal petition was taken up before the Supreme Court.
However, de Silva noted that due to prevailing security concerns, his client is unable to appear before the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court and is instead prepared to give evidence before a court in Colombo.
In response, the three-judge bench of the Supreme Court instructed President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva to file a formal request regarding this matter with the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court within one week, and to seek appropriate legal directions from that court.
President’s Counsel also requested the Supreme Court to conclude the hearing of the current appeal, as Gotabaya Rajapaksa is now prepared to testify.
Attorney Nuwan Bopage, representing the petitioners and the families of the disappeared individuals, agreed with the request to bring the proceedings to a close.
Accordingly, the court concluded the hearing of the appeal petition.
The case was heard before a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Yasantha Kodagoda, Kumuduni Wickramasinghe, and Shiran Gunaratne.
The original case dates back to December 9, 2011. In 2019, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, then the former Secretary of Defence, was summoned to appear before the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court in connection with the disappearances of Lalith Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganandan.
However, Rajapaksa filed a petition before the Court of Appeal, citing security risks that prevented him from appearing in the Jaffna Court. The Court of Appeal subsequently issued a writ of certiorari, effectively quashing the summons issued against him.
Challenging that decision, the relatives of the missing individuals filed an appeal before the Supreme Court seeking to overturn the Court of Appeal’s ruling.
