The Court of Appeal today quashed summons issued by the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who was the former Defense Secretary to appear before the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court in connection with the 2011 disappearance of two Northern based social activists, Lalith and Kugan.
The Jaffna Magistrate’s Court had issued summons to Rajapaksa a few months before the Presidential election.
Announcing the verdict on the petition filed by Gotabaya Rajapaksa against the summons, the Presiding Judge of the Court of Appeal, A.H. M. A bench of Justices B Navas and Sobhitha Rajakaruna quashed the order. The judges pointed out that although a magistrate has the legal right to call witnesses in a case or investigation, it is the responsibility of the court to inform the witness of the exact reason for such summoning.
