The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption has filed indictments before the Colombo High Court against Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and former Navy Commander Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda.
The case centres on Yoshitha Rajapaksa’s participation in the Royal Navy Young Officers’ Course at the Britannia Royal Naval College in the United Kingdom between September 1, 2006 and June 8, 2007.
Karannagoda is accused of causing a loss to the state by allegedly facilitating that participation without lawful authority while serving as Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy. Yoshitha Rajapaksa is charged with allegedly obtaining an undue benefit through the same arrangement.
The Bribery Commission has filed a total of eight charges against the two accused, Ada Derana reported. The Colombo High Court is expected to issue summons in due course so that the charges can be formally served.
Context
The indictments open a new front in a series of cases involving the former President’s son. Yoshitha Rajapaksa is already before the courts in a long-running money laundering case concerning assets linked to the failed Carlton Sports Network, in which he has pleaded not guilty. That trial was postponed in July after the Attorney General opposed an application to suspend proceedings.
He was separately arrested by CIABOC in June over allegations concerning his appointment to the Navy — a matter closely related to the naval-career allegations now indicted.
Karannagoda, who holds the rank of Admiral of the Fleet, was Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy during the period covered by the indictments.
Neither man has commented publicly on the indictments. Both are entitled to the presumption of innocence, and the charges have yet to be formally served or answered in court.
