The Singapore government said today in a statement that the President of Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksa is on a private visit and has not been granted asylum. The statement was made by the Singapore government ahead of the disgraced President’s flight’s expected landing in the country.
“It is confirmed that Mr. Rajapaksa has been allowed entry into Singapore on a private visit, he has not asked for asylum, and neither has he been granted any asylum. Singapore generally does not grant requests for asylum,” read a statement from Singapore’s foreign ministry.
Rajapaksa landed in Singapore on board a Saudi Arabia Airlines flight this afternoon.
Quoting sources in Sri Lankan security, it is reported that he is expected to stay in Singapore for some time, before potentially moving to the United Arab Emirates.
The President had left Colombo after his house was raided during the protests amidst the economic crisis in the country. He travelled to the Maldives on Tuesday evening. The next night he requested the Maldives government to arrange a private jet to fly him to Singapore, fearing public backlash, sources had said.
Before leaving Colombo, he had assured leaders that would send in his resignation. He has finally tendered his resignation in a letter sent by email to parliamentary speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardenena, according to an announcement from the speaker’s office on Thursday.
As president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa enjoys immunity from arrest.
Today, the protesters vacated several of the emblematic state buildings they had raided earlier this week, including the Presidential palace and the office of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
On Wednesday morning, shortly after Rajapaksa left, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe declared a state of emergency and asked security forces to restore order.
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