Law, Order and Southern Development Minister Sagala Ratnayaka says that a team of eight will leave to Dubai tomorrow to assist in the arrest of former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga.

In a tweet this evening Ratnayaka said, “A team of eight will visit Dubai tomorrow to bring Udayanga Weeratunga back to Sri Lanka.”

He said the team would include officials from FCID, the CID, the Foreign Ministry, the AG’s Department and the Immigration Department who would liaise with Dubai authorities to make the arrest.

Former Ambassador Weeratunga, a nephew of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, is wanted over an alleged financial misappropriation to the tune of US$ 14 million while purchasing four Ukraine-built MIG-27 aircraft for the Sri Lanka Air Force in 2005.

The Colombo Fort Magistrate, in October 2016, ordered the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) of the Police to issue an international warrant to arrest Weeratunga over the same investigation.

The Minister revealed earlier this week that Weeratunga was traveling on an invalid diplomatic passport and said steps would be taken to take the former Ambassador into custody.