Top Rajapaksa loyalist former minister files application to prevent arrest

Johnston Fernando, a former Sri Lankan minister and a Rajapaksa loyalist, who was questioned by police during the May 9 violence, has filed a writ application before a court of appeal to prevent his arrest.

The application by the former minister of highways would be taken into consideration in the coming days, the Registrar of the Court of Appeal here said.

"A date for the appeal has not been given yet," the registrar said.

So far no court order has been received to prevent the arrest of the former minister, EconomyNext news website cited the media division of the police as saying.

The Rajapaksa loyalist, who was questioned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on May 24, according to the court order, had been named as an accused in the case where peaceful anti-government demonstrators were attacked, leading to violence and chaos across the country.

The retaliatory attacks killed 10 persons, including a parliamentary colleague of Fernando.

Another senior parliamentarian is still hospitalised after receiving serious injuries.

The police have arrested over 2,000 people involved in the ''Black Monday'' violence. Over 70 ruling party members had faced arson attacks on their personal properties.

Two members of parliament (MPs) remain in remand custody.

The former minister had been quizzed over an alleged speech he had made encouraging the government supporters to go and attack the protesters who had been for over a month now calling for the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for his mis-handling of the current economic crisis since the island's independence in 1948.

He was addressing supporters of the then prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa who had gathered at the official residence of the premier so as to pressure him not to resign from the position.

With the outbreak of violence, Rajapaksa, who had until then refused to resign, stepped down.

The Attorney General on May 17 in a court order summoned 22 people, including Fernando and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MPs Sanath Nishantha and Sanjeewa Edirimanna, as well as Senior Deputy Inspector General (SDIG) of the western province Deshabandu Thennakoon.

The magistrate's court here on June 1 had ordered for the arrest of Fernando for being responsible for an attack on the protesters who blame the Rajapaksas for a crippling shortage of foreign reserves, leading to long queues for fuel, cooking gas, and other essentials.

A travel ban has already been imposed by the court against Fernando and 16 others over the incident.