Rajapaksa arrived around 2.30 pm, around 15 after the deputy ministers went inside, and the two parties left separately after 3.00 pm.

A prison department official said the visiting period at remand prison is half an hour, and a remanded MP could be visited until 5.30 pm due to his privileges.

Later, deputy minister Nishantha Muthuhettigama admitted to the media that they had a discussion with Rajapaksa, but did not elaborate.

Accompanying him in the visit were his colleagues Sumedha Jayasena, Anuradha Jayaratne, Lakshman Wasantha Perera, Nimal Lansa, Arundika Fernando, Earl Gunasekara and Susantha Punchinilame.