Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya the General Managers of 79 commercial banks and financial companies to submit a report to the CID regarding three security officers of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, including Captain Tissa Wimalasena.

The other two security officials investigated are Damith Gomin Ranasinghe and Wanniarachchi Neville.

The reports are to inform the CID if the three individuals have deposited money in their institutions or acquired property through them.

The CID made a request from the Magistrate regarding an investigation into alleged money laundering by the three individuals. The investigation is being conducted over a complaint filed by the Anti-corruption Secretariat.

Captain Tissa is said to be connected several murders under the former regime, and is the alleged mastermind of the murder of rugger player Wasim Thajudeen.

The new political party to be formed by the 'Joint Opposition' could be registered within two weeks, political sources said.

A crucial meeting took place last night at former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's residence at Mirihana to finalize the details of the political party.

The 'Joint Opposition' has agreed that Rajapaksa must be appointed leader of the new party.

The names of his brothers Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa had been mentioned in political sources as possible leaders during the last few weeks. However, neither of the three Rajapaksa's have made any public announcement of their plans to assume leadership of the new party. However, both brothers of Mahinda Rajapaksa have indicated the need for a new party.

Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa were seen together at the signing of a public petition yesterday.

Ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa's brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa denounced the United Nations human rights chief's visit to Sri Lanka as a "big joke", as the former regime stepped up opposition to a UN-backed war-crimes probe.

Former president Rajapaksa and his brother, ex-defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, signed a petition this morning against the probe into allegations of thousands of civilian deaths during the final months of Sri Lanka's separatist war.

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein arrived on Saturday (Feb 6) for a four-day visit to gauge the island's progress in investigating war-time atrocities, before he delivers an assessment to the UN Human Rights Council in March.

Gotabhaya Rajapaksa accused authorities of arranging for Zeid to meet only sympathisers of Tamil rebels, who were crushed by government troops in 2009, AFP reported.

"He can't come here for a day and expect to understand the situation. He is only meeting one side," Gotabhaya, who was defence secretary during the war's finale, told reporters in Colombo. "It is a big joke."

Flanked by the ex-president, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa repeated the former regime's longstanding position that no war crimes were committed by government troops in the final push.

After defeating Rajapaksa at presidential elections a year ago, his successor Maithripala Sirisena agreed to investigate allegations troops killed up to 40,000 Tamil civilians in the final months.

Zeid on Sunday (Feb 7) visited the former war zones of Jaffna and Trincomalee in the island's north and northeast.

Meanwhile, he told local Tamil leaders on the Jaffna peninsula, which saw some of the worst fighting, that there should not be a general amnesty, but a swift legal process to deal with rebel detainees.

"As a general principle it is not acceptable to grant amnesties to those convicted of the most serious crimes - war crimes or crimes against humanity," a spokesman for the rights chief told AFP.

But the UN would welcome a release of those against whom there was insufficient evidence.

More than 200 suspected Tamil separatists remain in prison, many without charge.

Tamil political and civil society groups have long demanded their unconditional release, though the government has refused a blanket amnesty.

(With inputs from AFP)

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa will not take part in the National Day celebrations to be held in Colombo tomorrow.

Speaking to media yesterday, he said that he has not been invited for the event.

Even if he is invited, he will not take part in the event since the 'Joint Opposition' has taken a decision of boycotting state functions, he added.

Addressing a gathering of Kandy District UPFA local councilors, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa vowed to remain in politics despite all challenges and harassment.

He pointed out that the government had used the Money Laundering Act, which he introduced to curb financial transactions by LTTE terrorists, to arrest his son. The Act was used to defeat terrorism at that time. It is now used to imprison the son of the leader who defeated terrorism, he added.

Speaking about his decision to remain in politics, Rajapaksa said that he had retired after the defeat at the January 2015 Presidential Election, not to return to politics. However, he was continuously attacked by te government, he added. Thereafter, the UPFA MPs started demanding his return to politics and he decided to do so at their behest, Rajapaksa claimed.

He has no intention of retiring as of now, Rajapaksa stressed.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited the remand prison at Welikada to see his son Yoshitha Rajapaksa.

Yoshitha Rajapaksa and four others were remanded yesterday over allegations of fraud at Carlton Sports Network. Rajapaksa is being kept in Ward J of the remand prison.

Mahinda Rajapaksa visited the prison with MPs Namal Rajapaksa, Lohan Ratwatte and Johnston Fernando.

Visitors are not allowed in the remand prison on Sundays. However, Members of Parliament have the right to visit the prison at any time of the day without prior approval.

Sri Lanka's former president Mahinda Rajapaksa looks on as he leaves his second son Yoshitha Rajapaksa who was remanded in custody for two weeks in Kaduwela on January 30, 2016. Rajapaksa was arrested along with four others in connection with money laundering when his father was president. AFP PHOTO / Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP / Ishara S.KODIKARA

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa confused the police Financial Crimes Investigations Division and the PRECIFAC on his official Twitter handle this morning.

He uploaded two photos on Twitter with the caption "At the FCID this morning #SriLanka"

However, he arrived at the PRECIFAC for the inquiry on the alleged non payment of money to the ITN.

Rajapaksa has never been summoned to the premises of the FCID.

Update: The Official Twitter handle published a corrected caption a short while ago.

Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa gave serious indications about the formation of a new political party, pointing out that "a new party is not SLFP, its a new party".

He made this observation this morning near the PRECIFAC, when journalists asked if he is intending to lead a new political front which is to be formed by the 'Joint Opposition'.

Rajapaksa arrived at the PRECIFAC for the hearings on the alleged fraud at Rakna Lanka Araksha Company.

Answering the journalists, Rajapaksa refused the rumors that he will be the leader of the front.

However he maintained that splitting parties was not new. "SWRD Bandaranaike did it. My father did it" he observed.

He maintained that the 5.8 million people who voted for his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa have been silenced. "Their voice needs to be heard" he said.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa also expressed confidence that his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa would support the new front.

"Doing the correct thing is most important" he said.

UPFA MP and former Minister Kumara Welgama said former President Mahinda Rajapaksa should lead the Sri Lanka Freedom Party campaign at the forthcoming Local Government elections.

Speaking to BBC he said that he was prepared to accept President Maithripala Sirisena since he is an elected leader. However, the people are with Rajapaksa, Welgama also insisted.

Therefore the campaign should be led by Rajapaksa, he said.

Welgama also warned that he will take a serious political decision if the party did not accept this proposal.

The Rajpaksa camp has been discussing the launch of a new political front for weeks. However, the former President has rejected that a new front will be formed.