Sri Lanka’s Permanent High Court has dropped all corruption charges against Gotabaya Rajapaksa, just days after he was appointed as president of Sri Lanka.
Rajapaksa faced charges over the alleged misappropriation of 33.9 million rupees - approximately USD $185,000 - used to build a museum dedicated to his parents on the south of the island.
The three-bench special high court heard from Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, speaking on behalf of the Attorney General, that Sri Lanka's constitution bars any criminal or civil proceedings against the president, "t in respect of anything done or omitted to be done by the President, either in his official or private capacity”.
The judges agreed and subsequently dropped all charges against Rajapaksa, as well as releasing his passport and scrapping an overseas travel ban that was placed on him.
