Yoshitha Rajapaksa arrested for money laundering

Yoshitha Rajapaksa

Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the son of former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) this morning (January 25) in the Beliatta area.

Police Media Spokesman SSP Buddhika Manathunga confirmed the arrest, stating that it was carried out following a directive from the Attorney General.

The Attorney General had determined that sufficient evidence exists to suggest that Yoshitha Rajapaksa committed offenses under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act No. 5 of 2006.

The arrest was made to facilitate legal proceedings against him under the Code of Criminal Procedure Act.

Reports indicate that Yoshitha Rajapaksa was arrested in connection with an investigation into the purchase of land in Ratmalana using 34 million rupees, which were allegedly earned illegally.

On January 3, 2025, Yoshitha Rajapaksa had appeared before the CID to provide a statement regarding the ownership of a property located in the Kataragama area.