Namal Appears for Gota In Easter Attacks Arrest Prevention Petition

COLOMBO (News 1st); Namal Rajapaksa appeared before the Court of Appeal in his capacity as an attorney-at-law, in support of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's writ petition.

The writ petition filed by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa seeking an order preventing his arrest and detention in connection with investigations into the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks was taken up once again today.

The former President also appeared before the Court of Appeal today.

The petition was considered before a bench comprising Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya and Justice Sarath Dissanayake.

President's Counsel Romesh de Silva, appearing on behalf of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, submitted that both judicial independence and individual liberty are recognized as fundamental rights under the Constitution.

He stated that such liberty can be restricted only in the most limited of circumstances.

The President's Counsel argued that delivering justice to those affected by the Easter Sunday attacks does not mean arresting and imprisoning individuals without any reasonable basis.

President's Counsel Romesh de Silva further informed court that his client had never been summoned in connection with any investigation relating to the Easter Sunday attacks and had not exerted any influence on witnesses connected to the investigation.

He said that despite this, the respondents had obtained a travel ban against his client from the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court without any reasonable basis.

Further consideration of the petition was postponed until August 3.