Staff Reporter
COLOMBO: Rumours currently going viral that the former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa is currently in the Kingdom have been dispelled by the reliable soures.
When asked, Abdul Cader Mashoor Mowlana, a long time resident in the Kingdom told Colombo Times on Tuesday,July 19 said : “There is no truth in this vicious rumour that has got wings in the social media websites in the island.”
The social media has also carried a picture which was taken some years ago at the Mount Lavinia Hotel in Colombo, Mowlana pointed out, lamenting that the people are stooping to low levels to get cheap publicity and to tarnish innocent people.
Ex-president who flew to the Maldives by a SLAF jet, had taken the Saudi Arabian Airlines flight.SV 788 which came from Jeddah enroute to Singapore.
Dr. Sheikh M U M Thassim who has links with the Kingdom also said that according to his sources, the former president has not gone to Saudi Arabia during this tour.
Saudi Arabia maintains strict immigration regulations to both its citizens expatriates and foreigners. Umrah visas to Lankan pilgrims are given online, while visit visas to Sri Lankans are issued by its embassy in Colombo under strict regulations and employment anf business visas are issued on the recommendation of Saudi sponsors.
