COLOMBO (TIP): A protest staged by lawmakers backing former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa ran into a second day after the country’s bribery commission summoned the ex-leader and his brothers to explain their actions while in power.

The protesters said on April 22 that the summons was an affront to the brothers who were instrumental in ending a 26-year civil war.

Rajapaksa was asked to appear before the commission to explain why he gave a ministerial position last year to an opposition leader soon after he defected to support Rajapaksa’s presidential re-election campaign. Rajapaksa’s rivals say handing out the ministerial position was a bribe.

His brothers, former Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and former Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, were also summoned over allegations of financial irregularities.