Namal arrested for corruption; in remand till 18 July

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son Namal Rajapaksa was arrested by the police Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) yesterday and remanded till 18 July.

Namal Rajapaksa was asked to appear before the FCID on Monday to make a statement over some missing funds. He was questioned over the misappropriation of funds amounting to Rs. 70 million.

A statement from the police noted that Indian company Krrish Group which was given a $ 650 million project under the previous Government headed by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had given Rs.70 million to the Carlton Sports Network as sponsorship for a rugby tournament. 

However the money was spent on personal expenses by Namal Rajapaksa and not on the tournament, police alleged. 

The joint opposition has raised concerns over the arrest saying some Government members were aware he was to be arrested and had even spoken publicly about it, bringing the independence of the investigative process into question. 

Earlier this year Mahinda Rajapaksa’s second son Yoshitha Rajapaksa was also arrested over money laundering allegations.

Yoshitha Rajapaksa was arrested in January together with officials who had worked with him at a private television network but was later released in March on bail. 

UPFA MP Namal Rajapaksa, who was arrested by the FCID over the inquiry conducted against him on allegations of misappropriating Rs. 70 million worth of funds belonging to the ‘Krrish Group’ company, was remanded till 18 July by the Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne yesterday – Pic by Shehan Gunaasekara