Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday alleged the former government, headed by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, had taken an unspecified amount as loan from Libya – but the money was remitted to a private account.

Addressing the media at an event in his hometown Matara, the Foreign Affairs Minister said, “Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa went to Libya, and he took a loan for Sri Lanka from Libya, but that money was remitted to the private account of a relative – that is all I will say for now,” he said, referring to the former President as someone saved from the electric chair.

“Don’t be angry with me for saying this,” he told the crowd, “but Mahinda Rajapaksa whom we saved from the electric chair only has the wheel chair to look forward to.”

“I can’t save him from that,” the Foreign Affairs Minister said, “that is the fate awaiting all of us.”