Lawyers for Gotabaya Rajapaksa are desperately scrambling to put doubts about his US citizenship to rest and making things exceedingly worse for the SLPP candidate who thought this chapter of his presidential bid was far behind him by early October.
At a press conference on Sunday Ali Sabry PC who is the head of Rajapaksa’s legal team said that the SLPP candidate did not need to show his documentation to the public, but that his renunciation documentation had been handed over to the Elections Commission.
However on Monday, Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said the Commission was never provided copies with Rajapaksa’s nomination papers.
In his rush to counter a statement by Deshapriya, Ali Sabry posted an affidavit purportedly provided by Gotabaya Rajapaksa to the Elections Commission on his official Facebook page setting out his citizenship status.
The image Sabry posted featured only the signature of the Justice of the Peace who had signed the affidavit – a G.K.A.P.K Kularatne from Maharagama. In the first document filed by Ali Sabry PC, the cage for the signature of the person declaring the affidavit was empty.
Realising his error few minutes later, Gotabaya’s lawyer deleted the first image and uploaded a second.
The second contained the exact same signature of Attorney Kularatne, with the signature crossing his seal in the same precise way, except the second image included Rajapaksa’s signature and a Rs 50 stamp. 
The President’s Counsel who has lately performed the role of attack dog for the SLPP candidate and his main canvasser of Muslim votes, has created more documentation problems for his boss, with social media already explosively discussing Rajapaksa’s citizenship status and allegedly fraudulent documentation being released by Sabry and other lawyers trying to defend the position.
Sabry’s first image makes it clear that the JP had signed the affidavit before the affirmant. An affidavit is not valid unless the affirmant has signed the affidavit in the presence of the JP. In this case, as with all documentation matters pertaining to the former Defence Secretary, the signature of the JP has been placed on the affidavit prior to Rajapaksa having signed the declaration.
This would make the affidavit null and void, lawyers explained. Furthermore, Sabry’s revelations with the two documents posted online could amount to a serious breach of the law by the unwitting attorney who placed his signature on the document before Rajapaksa signed it. Legal experts said that certifying an affidavit before an affirmant has signed it is not only bad in law, but also ex facie fraudulent.
The latest gaffe comes amid a furore over Rajapaksa’s allegedly cancelled US passport, which is being widely questioned for authenticity online.(By TB Bambaradeniya )
Amila / November 12, 2019
So these things clearly shows he is still a bloody American citizen.
He is not eligible to contest or even function as president in SL. Should be behind bars for faking documents with lie sabry..
Voting for gota will be in vain so probably gota fans can vote for Asp liyanage now !
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CM Silva / November 15, 2019
If you want to recruit a garbage collector for your road and if his CV says, he may not be a citizen, he has any murder cases and many other criminal cases, he has abused his authority before, plundered money from the state for family use, uses obscene language to females etc….. This Cv will go to the dust bin.
If you want to appoint a teacher to your kid’s school and if there is a similar CV, it will be shread to million peices.
If you think of voting for such a person to be the president of Lanka, please get your head scanned first to see if you have a brain!!!!
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Athula Mallikarachi / November 12, 2019
These are super expensive too grade lawyers.Janadhipathi Counsel.
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K.Anaga / November 12, 2019
P>C’s Are two cheap now. It can be bought over the ‘POLITICAL’ counter free of charge. Unlike the PC’s, Police Constables are more reliable.
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Uthungan / November 12, 2019
Will the President of the BASL immediately call meeting of it’s members to decide about taking disciplinary action against PC Ali Sabri to his strike name off from the SC’s roll of Attorneys on the ground that he has brought disrepute to the profession?
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Gratiaen / November 12, 2019
Ideal suggestion by Uthungan. They should act accordingly in the name of the noble profession!!!
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Emma / November 12, 2019
They should take action, but then again most Sri Lankan lawyers are flexible with the law.
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Aloy / November 12, 2019
What about the dual citizens of those MP’s from NE whose votes resurrected a dead government in Oct. 2018 and indirectly caused the death of over 250 Christians?. They too should give affidavits to speaker before 16th.
And what about the conflict of interest of those SC judges who gave a ruling against the Prez Sirisena and then went on a tour to USA sponsored by that’ illegit’ government?. Are they also not responsible for the deaths and was it not the kind of things Prez was trying to prevent?.
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Lasantha Pethiyagoda / November 12, 2019
Public officials who allow illegalities to take precedence when the subject is a powerful person would naturally be acting with self-preservation in mind. They would be in existential fear of violent reprisals if they act impartially, although as long as a modern democracy exists, such fears would seem irrational.
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Sinhala_Man / November 12, 2019
Charles,
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May be right in feeling that so close to the elections they’ve managed to pull off this fraud.
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However, what has been given us here is yet another rational account of how the system has been abused, and all that you are doing to counter it is talking about green lights.
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If this crook Gota ends up as President next week, it’ll only prove that our citizens have become so cynical about the system as not to look for individuals among thirty-five candidates who are reasonably honest, and are so careless as to imagine that it’s all right to put a “kathire” for one of the two guys who are identified as being the front runners. What would be far more rational would be for voters to award “THIRD PREFERENCE” instead of “kathire” and 1 and 2 for any among the balance 33 whom they deem more honest.
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Among the choices that a voter makes, awarding number ONE is an important and significant decision, but don’t kid yourself about how decisive it will be in determining the final result. At least five million others should have made the same decision. Whether it is 2 or 3 that you mark for the less bad “major candidate” will make little difference in next Saturday’s election. You may be right in feeling that so close to the elections you’ve managed to pull off this fraud.
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Jehan / November 12, 2019
This shows callus disregard for laws and conventions. As habitual lies, this is Norma cause of business.
Gota hora and the group wants a mafia state, who ever with Gota hora is a patriotic, others the enemy.
Reminds me of noritaga of Panama, American citizen who is in jail in America.
Gota is using the Buddhist for his own ends, monks being illiterate, can be swayed with a whisky bottle, and country will suffer with drugs, prostitution, extaution,all the vices under the sun, till a blood bath comes.
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D. P. / November 12, 2019
Jehan,
Is there anything new in lies, deceptions and stealing among Ra..kse family. MaRa has mastered the art and used it to make a political career since 1970. Why not if it works. The system works extremely well b’cos he learned how get other influential politicians & businesses including media owners also buy into the system. In other words, it has become necessary priority for those around him to protect MaRa in order to assure their own well being.
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EA / November 12, 2019
If Gota wins, we will have an American President. How cool. The world is a dangerous place with just one of them.
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Roshan John / November 14, 2019
lol. Good one mate…..
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Rohan Hettiarachchi / November 12, 2019
In 2015 , all opinion polls predicted MR victory by huge margins! What happened then. The same thing will happen in 2019 !
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Sinhala_Man / November 13, 2019
Dear Rohan, (aka Milinda),
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Both legitimate names, and a really good man!
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Can you prognosticate what will happen to the “other elections” in 2020?
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https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/presidential-election-the-multiple-crises-in-sri-lankan-education/
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If you’re the man I think that you are, you will understand much more about what is referred to in the first two comments than others do.
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Let other readers understand that although I’m using a pseudonym (whoever was named Sinhala_Man by his parents?) Rohan Milinda Hettiarachchi is using his “given name”. He’s a man whom I try to emulate, but can’t!
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Michael / November 12, 2019
The main question is, is this Ali Sabry fit to be a Lawyer ? This is the question i need to ask ?
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Christopher Seneviratne / November 12, 2019
Looks like Gota’s legal team are a bunch of idiots and should be interred in jail along with him.
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Christopher Seneviratne / November 12, 2019
Looks like Gota’s legal team are a bunch of idiots..
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Chauvinist / November 12, 2019
EA
The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil but because of those who look on do nothing – Albert Einstein
This is where RW & MS come in.
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Mano / November 13, 2019
EA you beat me to it. I was about to quote AE’s golden words myself. If Gota wins, Sri Lanka would perhaps have that unique honour of being governed by a MURDERER (Lasnatha), a SWINDLER (MiG deals and others), a BULLY (Keith Noyer, White Van and others) and now a FRAUDSTER (US Citizenship). What a proud nation are we watching all these happen?
The truth is that this election is being contested not as an opportunity for us the voting masses to elect the most suited for the esteemed position, but as a sporting event like a big match. There are the Gota supporters and Sajith supporters….no matter how much of exposure there is of “ball tampering” and/or “match fixing” the hard core supporters don’t care a hoot.
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sellam / November 12, 2019
I am astonished as to why the government machinery cannot dig it up officially with the American Embassy in Sri Lanka or the US government directly and sort out the position of Gothabaya Rajapaksa as to his citizenship.
Humbugs are safeguarding the humbugs
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ajith / November 13, 2019
Sellam,
This is about politics. America, particularly Trump administration is only interested what is good for America. USA do not wants to take a chance. Gota would have agreed to go with the Millennium agreement if he comes to power. For that, USA should not process his application because he knows that he will have to go back to USA. If he looses this election, definitely he should face jail. Most probably he would have already booked the plane to Singapore or USA before the election results. This is a mutual understanding without any legal violation in USA. Just think why his family still in USA?
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Mano / November 13, 2019
EA you beat me to it. I was about to quote AE’s golden words myself. If Gota wins, Sri Lanka would perhaps have that unique honour of being governed by a MURDERER (Lasnatha), a SWINDLER (MiG deals and others), a BULLY (Keith Noyer, White Van and others) and now a FRAUDSTER (US Citizenship). What a proud nation are we watching all these happen?
The truth is that this election is being contested not as an opportunity for us the voting masses to elect the most suited for the esteemed position, but as a sporting event like a big match. There are the Gota supporters and Sajith supporters….no matter how much of exposure there is of “ball tampering” and/or “match fixing” the hard core supporters don’t care a hoot.
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Renuka / November 13, 2019
Do you know who this lawyer who attested this affidavit is? P. K. A. C. K. Kularathne, aka Chaminda Kularathne, who is currently functioning as a private secretary of Mahinda Rajapakse. A Rajapakse stooge and a rogue! This whole network is filled with corrupted/criminal people!
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Amare / November 13, 2019
If you see the passport shown by Ali sabry you will note word cancel in second page. Cancelled passports are stamped Cancelled on the page with photo and all details.
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chiv / November 13, 2019
Leonard, Who is Antony Peter .?????? You mean Rajapaksas are NOT just Bull Shit but are F – – – – – G BS.
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Bandu Wanigasekera / November 13, 2019
Amare is right. In fact the passport shown by Ali Sabry is a blank one with CANCEL stamped on innocuos page. There are no details that it is GRs or even a legible passport number of anyone.
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Daniel Joseph / November 15, 2019
Citizenship requirements are absolutely basic for President is a country. Even this remains a doubt even at the 11th hour.
It is crystal clear one of the main reasons for GR to contest is to avoid all the court cases as president. so, he is asking for our vote to free him from his crimes. These are 35 candidates at this election and as far as I know none have got a single case while GR has 70 listed in social media which we all know many are credible.
Are some people mad even to CONSIDER voting for such a man as president of Lanka!!!!
Are doubtful citizenship, murder cases, criminal cases, plundering cases ( family monument), abuse of authority ( white van crimes), journalist assaults, other illegal case ( AVent Guard), miniscual judgement as appointed a drug lord/ murderer/ rapist as minister monitoring defence, to be on the side of criminals as vowed to free proven criminals if he becomes president, lack of parliamentary experience, lack of debating skills, family rule etc etc……… Are these the Presidential criteria Lanka needs. ??? In my book, they are not good enough even to look after a pig farm!!!!! Wake up Lanka!!!
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