The Matara Chief Magistrate’s Court has reissued an arrest warrant against former Minister Basil Rajapaksa after he again failed to appear in a case concerning the purchase of a property at Browns Hill on Eliyakanda Road, Matara, NewsFirst reported.
Chief Magistrate Chathuranga Eranga Dissanayake ordered the fresh warrant, citing Rajapaksa’s continued evasion of court appearances. A previous warrant had been issued on May 22 after a similar no-show.
The case, filed by the Police Financial Crimes Investigation Division, relates to the acquisition of a 1.5-acre property and also names Ayoma Galappaththi — a sister of Rajapaksa’s wife — along with Tissa Galappaththi and Muditha Jayakody, over allegations concerning how the property was obtained.
Basil Rajapaksa, a former Finance Minister and a founder of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, is among several members of the Rajapaksa family facing legal proceedings over financial and corruption allegations since the family’s fall from power during the 2022 economic crisis.
His repeated absences from court have drawn criticism, with the reissued warrant reflecting the court’s frustration at the delays. Authorities are now expected to act on the order to secure his appearance at the next hearing.
