Former State Minister Premalal Jayasekara had left Sri Lanka in August, before the Supreme Court imposed an overseas travel ban on him, an inquiry by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has revealed.
The Supreme Court last Friday issued an order preventing Jayasekara and two other accused from leaving the country.
A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Achala Wengappuli and Gihan Kulatunga also ordered that the travel ban be communicated to the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration.
The Court also ordered that notices be issued on Jayasekara and the two other accused, directing them to appear before the Supreme Court on October 21.
However, when the CID took steps to implement the orders, it was discovered that Jayasekara had already left the country in August.
The CID, however, said Jayasekara had booked a return air ticket to Sri Lanka before leaving the country.
Jayasekara had previously been convicted over the killing of a person in a shooting at a political meeting during the 2015 Presidential Election period.
The Ratnapura High Court subsequently sentenced him to death, following which Jayasekara and the other accused filed an appeal against the conviction.
After hearing the appeal, the Court of Appeal ordered that they be acquitted and discharged.
However, a party aggrieved by the incident subsequently filed an appeal before the Supreme Court, arguing that the Court of Appeal ruling was contrary to law.
It was while considering that appeal that the Supreme Court issued the order preventing Jayasekara and the two other accused from leaving the country.
