The former strongman paid a visit to Uganda on the invitation of that government. 

He had wanted to take his second son as a member of his delegation on this visit, but the latter’s passport had been impounded by courts. 

On hearing that there was a place for another person in the delegation, a certain character from Maharagama who once functioned as a provincial minister made an appeal to the former strongman that he be picked for the vacant place in the delegation.

“Sir, please take me in place of Yoshitha,” he implored.

However, the former strongman turned down his appeal saying: “I took you on my visit to Thailand. Are you trying to accompany me on this visit too?”

“Please, let me come, Sir. I will buy my ticket,” the Maharagama worthy implored again.

“I am not taking you with me this time round. That’s final!” the former strongman told the man in a firm tone.

Incidentally, the former strongman had employed this character from Maharagama as his double at the last big poll for security reasons and the man had a happy time getting salutes from security top brass and cruising around in the official limousine allocated for the use of the Head of the State, they say.