The Jaffna Magistrate’s Court has ordered former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to testify via video link from the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on Sept. 29 in the case concerning the 2011 disappearance of human rights activists Lalith Weeraraj and Kugan Murugananthan.
Rajapaksa, who was serving as Defence Secretary at the time of the disappearances, was originally summoned by the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court on Sept. 27, 2019, to give evidence in the inquiry.
Earlier this year, the court granted Rajapaksa permission to testify remotely after he requested to appear through electronic audiovisual means, citing security concerns.
Court records show that Rajapaksa did not appear before the court in December last year, with his lawyers citing threats to his life.
The court subsequently directed that such claims be formally presented to enable the proceedings to continue. (Newswire)