News

Yoshitha, Daisy Forrest named as suspects in money laundering case

Published

1 month ago

February 12, 2025

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Sri Lanka Police said that they will file charges against Yoshitha Rajapaksa under the Prevention Of Money Laundering Act.

This was confirmed by Police Spokesperson Senior Superintendent of Police Buddhika Manatunga during a press conference held in Colombo this morning.

SSP Manatunga stated that an investigation into Yoshitha Rajapaksa has been ongoing since 2016, following the discovery of over Rs. 59 million in his bank accounts. Rajapaksa has been unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for the source of these funds. Consequently, the police initiated an investigation under the Prevention Of Money Laundering Act.

According to the Police Spokesperson, further investigations revealed that the funds were invested in fixed deposits and bank accounts maintained as a joint account with a woman named Daisy Forrest. Based on these findings, the Attorney General directed the police to name Daisy Forrest as a suspect in the case alongside Rajapaksa.

Today, the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court formally named Yoshitha Rajapaksa and Daisy Forrest as suspects in the money laundering case.

A foreign travel ban has already been imposed on Daisy Forrest. The police spokesperson said that Sri Lanka Police will continue to take necessary legal actions against all suspects involved in the case.

News

Misuse of plantation funds and lands exposed in parliament

Published

57 minutes ago

March 15, 2025

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Minister of Plantations and Community Infrastructure, Samantha Vidyarathna, addressed Parliament, alleging that numerous associates and officials, including former ministers, have recently received substantial sums of money and government lands under the pretext of various cultivation projects, which were subsequently not implemented. He announced that investigations will be initiated into these matters.

Minister Vidyarathna accused former Minister Salinda Dissanayake of acquiring 76 acres of fertile land from the Kurunegala Plantation Company through a company he personally established.

Additionally, he claimed that a friend of former Minister Arundika Fernando was allocated 21 acres of fertile land belonging to the same company, misrepresented as barren land, with the transaction allegedly authorized by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The Minister further alleged that Anoma Gamage, wife of former Primary Industries Minister Daya Gamage, received 140 million rupees purportedly for an agricultural project, which was never executed.

These allegations were presented during the debate on the expenditure head of the Ministry of Plantations and Community Infrastructure.

He also stated that former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda was granted 180 million rupees for a cultivation project, and that 82 million rupees were given to the son of former Ministry Secretary Bandula Wickramarachchi for a similar initiative.