Former Sri Lankan president’s son arrested on money laundering charges

Police arrested a son of former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday (January 30) on money laundering charges, officials said, in a major breakthrough in a financial misappropriation case against the former first family.

Yoshitha, the 27-year-old second son of Rajapaksa and a naval officer, was arrested along with four others, including the former president’s spokesman and a brother of current Ports Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, who ran a local sports television channel under the Rajapaksa government.

Yoshitha, the former Sri Lankan national rugby team captain when his father was president, was detained after more than six hours of questioning.

His father, attending the court, was visibly shaken by his son’s arrest.

“Today they (the government) have used the act which we brought in to deal with terrorists to put the son of the person who eradicated terrorism behind bars. We have trust in the judicial system and expect justice will prevail,” he said.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, now an opposition legislator, is himself being investigated for the misappropriation of money at a state-run television channel during the 2015 presidential polls.

His brothers, former minister of economic development Basil, and former defence secretary Gotabaya, and his eldest son Namal are also being probed on multiple allegations.

Saturday’s arrests come after current President Maithripala Sirisena promised a new era of clean government, when he took office last September.

Addressing the first session of the new parliament, he said he would ensure officials responsible for wrongdoing under his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa would be held to account.

Some family members and allies of Rajapaksa, who defeated a 26-year Tamil insurgency in 2009, face charges of misusing state resources and corruption.

Rajapaksa and his former government officials have rejected allegations of corruption and nepotism and said they are ready to face any investigation.