Sri Lanka arrests son of ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa on corruption charges
Sri Lanka's anti-corruption bureau has arrested Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and a former lawmaker, on charges of irregularities in state contracts and money laundering. The operation marks the most concrete step yet in President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's pre-election anti-graft pledge.
A bureau official told SCMP that Yoshitha Rajapaksa had been questioned as a suspect over the steering of public service contracts between 2018 and 2022 and over the transfer of $28 million through offshore accounts. A statement issued by the Rajapaksa family overnight described the charges as "politically motivated." The arrest took place at the family's private residence in Colombo.
The Rajapaksa dynasty dominated Sri Lankan politics from 2005 to 2022, when Mahinda's brother Gotabaya was forced to step down following the country's balance-of-payments crisis. The government led by Dissanayake's People's Power has highlighted tracking of state resources as part of its IMF programme commitments. Investigations under the Anti-Corruption Act are reportedly set to extend to other family members in the coming weeks.
The Colombo Stock Exchange and the Sri Lankan rupee held steady following the announcement, with independent analysts saying investors are watching the technical track of the legal process. Diplomatic statements from India and China stressed respect for due process. The court will hear a bail application on 19 June.
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