Astrologer arrested for predicted Srilankan president’s death

An astrologer who made predictions that Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena would die has been arrested.

The astologer, Vijitha Rohana Wijemuni, is a former navy sailor convicted of attempting to assassinate India’s then-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1987.

Vijitha Rohana Wijemuni was arrested Tuesday evening on the charges of making false predictions and comments that could mislead the public. A court in the capital released him on bail on Wednesday.

He posted several videos on Facebook predicting Sirisena would die of illness or accident before Jan. 27.

Vijitha Rohana Wijemuni worked two and a half years in prison for attacking Gandhi with his rifle as the Indian premier inspected a naval guard of honor in Colombo. After being released from jail, Wijemuni turned to politics and contested for parliamentary elections in 2000, before becoming an astrologer.