Jakarta –
Ex-President’s escape Gotabaya Rajapaksa enter a new phase. Rajapaksa has now been ordered by the Supreme Court (MA) to appear in a Sri Lankan court on August 1.
Rajapaksa left Sri Lanka on July 13 after months of protests blaming Rajapaksa’s government for the worst economic crisis since the country’s independence in 1948.
Currently Rajapaksa is known to still be in Singapore. Rajapaksa initially stayed in a hotel in downtown Singapore, but is believed to have moved into a private residence.
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He has kept a low profile since arriving in Singapore and is completely invisible in public.
A spokesman for Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs later confirmed Rajapaksa was allowed in for a private visit. A spokesperson for the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs also emphasized that Rajapaksa did not ask for asylum and was not granted asylum.
On Wednesday (20/7), the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore (ICA) in response to media inquiries explained that visitors from Sri Lanka who enter Singapore’s territory for social visits will generally be granted a short-term visit permit with a duration of up to 30 days.
Those who need to extend their stay, said ICA, can apply for an extension of their visit permit online. The ICA says each application will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Allowed Until 11 August in Singapore
Rajapaksa just got his short-term visit permit (STVP) extended for 14 days by local authorities. Channel News Asia understands that with the extension, Rajapaksa can remain in Singapore until August 11.
The spokesman for the cabinet of Sri Lanka’s new government, Bandula Gunawardena, told local reporters on Tuesday (26/7) local time that Rajapaksa was expected to return to his country.
However, Gunawardena added that he did not know for sure when Rajapaksa would return, but emphasized that the former president was not hiding and not isolating himself.
Another Sri Lankan official who was not identified, quoted by Bloomberg, said Rajapaksa wanted to return home as soon as possible and return to live in his private residence on the outskirts of Colombo.
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