Opposition protests bribery allegations against Sri Lanka's former president

A group of opposition parliamentarians staged a protest at Sri Lanka's parliament on Monday against the move to question former President Mahinda Rajapakse over bribery allegations.

Rajapakse has been summoned before the Bribery or Corruption Commission on Friday over a fraudulent document filed by former Health Minister Tissa Attanayake in an attempt to criticize President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in the run-up to the Jan. 8 presidential election.

Rajapakse is also expected to be questioned over allegations that he bribed Attanayake, who was a former member of the ruling United National Party but resigned to support then president Rajapakse before the vote. Rajapakse's brother and former defense secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse has also been summoned to the Commission on Wednesday.

The opposition parliamentarians, who disrupted Monday's parliamentary proceedings, complained that it was "not proper" for the Bribery and Corruption Commission to question the former president and his brother in such a manner.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe assured the protesters that adequate security would be provided for Rajapakse and he had been summoned only to a record a statement.

Rajapakse's spokesman Rohan Walivita said on Monday that the former president was seeking legal advice prior to his appearance before the Bribery and Corruption Commission this week.

Several complaints have been lodged against Rajapakse and his family at the Bribery and Corruption Commission over allegations of mass financial frauds during their decade-long tenure in office.

Rajapakse was defeated in the January polls by his one time aide and health minister Sirisena and the new president has vowed that all those involved in corruption will be investigated and charged accordingly. Endi