Sri Lanka Court bans Ex-PM Mahinda from leaving country

A Sri Lankan court on Thursday banned former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, his politician son Namal and 15 allies from leaving the country over acts of violence against anti-government demonstrators. The Colombo magistrate also asked police to investigate Monday's mob attacks on peaceful protesters, which led to retaliatory violence that claimed nine lives and caused widespread destruction. A petition to the court had also asked for an arrest warrant against Rajapaksa and his associates, a court official told AFP.

The Attorney General had requested a travel ban on the 17 individuals, citing that they need to be present in Sri Lanka for the investigations on the attacks on GotaGoGama and MynaGogama as it appears that they conspired and planned those attacks."But the magistrate turned it down because police anyway have powers to detain any suspect," the official added. Victims of Monday's violence say that Rajapaksa and key aides had bussed around 3,000 of their supporters into the capital and instigated them to attack peaceful protesters. The loyalist mob poured out of his residence and assaulted anti-government demonstrators with sticks and clubs. Buddhist monks and Catholic priests were among at least 225 people hospitalised after the attack. Meanwhile, United National Party (UNP) leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe, will take oath as the PM at 6.30 pm on Thursday, his party confirmed.