Lanka court bars Rajapaksa’s brother from leaving the country

A Sri Lankan court on Monday imposed a travel ban on Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, former defence secretary and brother of ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa, and impounded his passport amid a probe into huge private floating arsenals set up during the previous regime when he was in office.

A magistrate court in the southern port city of Galle issued an order preventing Gotabhaya - the powerful defence secretary under his brother’s administration - and three others from leaving the country until the conclusion of investigation.

The court also impounded their passports, police said.