Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the second son of former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been arrested on corruption charges. The arrest was made following the advice of the Attorney General after sufficient evidence was gathered to indict him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act No. 5 of 2006. This arrest is significant as it is part of a larger anti-corruption campaign aimed at addressing alleged misconduct during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s administration from 2005 to 2015. The allegations are tied to the purchase of a property valued at 34 million Sri Lankan rupees in Ratmalana during his father’s presidency.
The developments come amidst a renewed vigor in tackling corruption in Sri Lanka. The Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID), initially set up between 2015 and 2019 to investigate financial misconduct, is set to resume operations, as announced by Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala. This decision aligns with the current President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s commitment to eradicating corruption as promised during his election campaign. More about the government’s commitment to combat financial crimes can be found in a recent parliamentary announcement.
Yoshitha’s arrest coincides with other legal inquiries into the Rajapaksa family, notably involving former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who faced public backlash during the economic crisis marked by foreign exchange shortages. This economic turmoil led to Gotabaya’s resignation in July 2022, following which he briefly fled to the Maldives and later submitted his resignation from Singapore.
President Anura, during his remarks on International Anti-Corruption Day 2024, emphasized the need for introspection and vigilance in enforcing existing laws against corruption. He highlighted Sri Lanka’s decline in international transparency rankings, reflecting the challenges faced by the nation in governance and accountability. President Anura’s full statement on the importance of anti-corruption measures is available in his official press release.
This latest arrest serves as a continued reminder of the complexities and implications of political power entwined with legal and economic accountability within Sri Lanka. For more details, the original report is accessible on JURIST.