The Court of Appeal will deliver its order on September 22 on whether to allow former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s writ petition seeking to prevent his arrest over the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks to proceed to a full hearing.
The court concluded its consideration of the petition on Monday after counsel for both the petitioner and the respondents completed oral submissions. The September 22 ruling will decide only whether the petition is granted leave to proceed or is dismissed at the threshold — not the substance of the claim.
The bench also directed that any written submissions in the case be filed on or before August 31.
The bench and the respondents
The petition was taken up before a two-judge bench comprising Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya and Justice Sarath Dissanayake.
Rajapaksa has named as respondents Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya, Criminal Investigation Department Director Shani Abeysekara, the officer-in-charge of the CID’s special investigations unit, and the Attorney General. NewsFirst identified that officer as Madhawa Gunawardena; the other outlets referred to the post without naming the holder.
Background
The former president is seeking an order restraining police from arresting and detaining him in connection with the continuing investigations into the April 2019 bombings, which killed more than 260 people at churches and hotels. He was serving as a private citizen at the time of the attacks and was elected president seven months later.
Rajapaksa appeared before the Court of Appeal in person over the petition on July 23.
The case runs alongside a wider reopening of the Easter Sunday investigations under the current government. Shani Abeysekara, named as a respondent here, is himself a recurring figure in that inquiry, and separate proceedings continue against other officials over their handling of intelligence warnings before the attacks.
