JAKARTA - Sri Lanka's Supreme Court summoned former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to appear in court on August 1. But lawyers say there is no compulsion for the ousted leader to appear in person.
The Supreme Court has ordered Rajapaksa. This is in response to the petition Transparency International Sri Lanka and three people. They asked for a punishment for Rajapaksa, who is considered the root cause of Sri Lanka's economic collapse.
The subpoena makes it possible Rajapaksa - who fled to Singapore via the Maldives two weeks ago - will soon return to Sri Lanka.
Quoted from The Straits Times, Friday, July 29, the senior lawyer said that by law Rajapaksa does not have to appear in court in person, and can be represented by his lawyer.
Singapore regards Rajapaksa's visit as a private one, and recently extended his social visit permit for 14 days until August 11.
But Sri Lanka's Media Minister Bandula Gunawardana had sparked discussion about Rajapaksa's return when he told reporters on Tuesday that the unpopular politician was "not hiding in Singapore" and was expected to return to Sri Lanka.
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