Gotabhaya's travel request fixed for Oct 3

The Special High Court today (Oct 1) ordered that an overseas travel request filed by former defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa would be taken up for consideration on October 3.

Rajapaksa is accused of misappropriating state funds worth Rs 33.9 million in the construction of the D A Rajapaksa Memorial museum and is facing a travel ban over the case.

Accordingly, lawyers appearing for the accused requested court to permit Rajapaksa to travel overseas from October 9 to 12 for a medical examination.

The Attorney General's Department which is prosecuting the case, told court that although they have no objection towards the request, they would require time until October 3 to study the medical documents.

Lawyers representing the accused also requested to release the passport of Rajapaksa to prove his Sri Lankan citizenship, as he is expected to contest at the presidential election.

The case was taken up for hearing before a three-member judge bench of Justices Sampath Abeykoon, Sampath Wijeratne, and Champa Janaki Rajaratne.

Meanwhile, the appeal petition filed by Rajapaksa against the jurisdiction of the Special High Court to hear the misappropriation case, is due to be taken up at the Supreme Court today.