Colombo, Aug 17 (TIWN) Ex-Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled the country following protests against economic crisis in the island nation, will return to Sri Lanka on August 24.

Former Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Rajapaksa's cousin Udayanga Weeratunga, who appeared before an investigation into a procurement of MiG aircraft during the civil war against Tamil rebels, said that the former President would return to the country. Gotabaya was the powerful Defence Secretary during the last stages of war.

"Gotabaya must be a good administrator but he is not suitable for politics," Weeratunga who praised his other cousin and former President and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said.  After protesters stormed President's house and office on July 9, Gotabaya went into hiding and later fled to the Maldives and then to the Singapore. On a request of Sri Lankan government, Gotabaya entered Thailand last week.