Former President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa's personal secretary Sugeeshwara Bandara stated that reports of Rajapaksa's return to the island on the 24th of this month are false.

He added that while the former presidents plans on returning to Sri Lanka, the date has not yet been decided. 

However, upon a request made by SLPP founder Basil Rajapaksa to President Ranil Wickremesinghe to facilitate the safety of the former president on his return the island, the former president's private residence in Mirihana has been placed under increased security protection from yesterday (20).