Sri Lanka’s main Opposition party says ex-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa must be tried for ‘misusing funds’

Rajapaksa’s government was accused of misusing the $1 billion loan facility extended by India as part of its financial assistance to help the cash-strapped island nation deal with its unprecedented economic crisis

Sri Lanka’s former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa has the right to return to the country, but he must be tried for allegations of misuse of funds since he does not enjoy legal immunity, main Opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya has said.

Mr. Rajapaksa, 73, fled the country and resigned last month in the face of a popular uprising against his government for mismanaging the island nation's economy.

“Gotabaya Rajapaksa is a citizen of this country and he has the right to return to his motherland. No one can deny this right. However, he should be tried for the allegations of misuse of funds,” Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) CEO Ajith P. Perera was quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror newspaper.

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The Sri Lanka's Constitution allows privileges to former presidents, including personal security and an office with staff.

“There was a case against him for allegedly spending State funds for his parent’s monument. It is possible to make him face the trials and penalise him if is found guilty, as he does not enjoy a legal immunity as per the constitution,” Mr. Perera said while addressing the media on Friday.

SJB has accused Mr. Rajapaksa’s government of misusing the USD 1 billion loan facility extended by India as part of its financial assistance to help the cash-strapped island nation deal with its unprecedented economic crisis.