INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Colombo Magistrates Court today (27) given bail to Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the second child of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was
remanded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.The decision followed a prolonged hearing presided over by Colombo Additional
Magistrate Manjula Ratnayake.Rajapaksa was released on two surety bails of Rs
50 million each, with additional bail conditions enforced
These consist of an overseas travel ban, regular monthly reporting to the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) on the last Sunday
of each month, and a stringent regulation to avoid influencing witnesses.During the trial, the court was informed that the charges against
Yoshitha Rajapaksa come from multiple examinations related to supposed cash laundering activities.Additional Solicitor General Dilipa
Peiris, representing the FCID, provided evidence connecting the suspect to suspicious residential or commercial property transactions,
consisting of the purchase of a Rs
350 million home in Sirimal Mawatha, Ratmalana, in 2012
Investigations exposed the property was acquired in the name of Daisy Forrest, the grandmother of the suspect, who had actually operated in
modest positions such as a medical facility staff member, instructor, and hostel warden, Peiris specified, keeping in mind that her declared
earnings was inadequate to support such a purchase, and her statements to police were inconsistent, recommending participation of concealed
funds.The Additional Solicitor General discussed that further queries discovered the deed to the property in the belongings of a specific,
Palitha Gamage, who declared it was provided to him by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.The Additional Solicitor General argued this
showed an attempt to obscure the true ownership of the property and highlighted issues over undisclosed earnings and the circulation of
laundered money.He likewise detailed Yoshitha Rajapaksas income as a Navy Lieutenant from 2006 to 2016, where his month-to-month income of
73,000 was straight credited to his account without withdrawals
The prosecution questioned how such minimal income might validate the purchase of a high-value property.Presidents Counsel Sampath Mendis,
representing the accused, countered that the investigation into the property deal began over eight years back and has not reached a
He noted that the primary suspect, Daisy Forrest, was released on bail without being remanded, and argued that it was unfair to hold
Yoshitha Rajapaksa in custody when the primary suspect had been approved leniency.Mendis likewise highlighted the delayed progress of the
investigation, highlighting that case files were forwarded to the Attorney Generals Department in 2018 however stay unsolved
He advised the court to release the suspect on bail under proper conditions.In his ruling, Additional Magistrate Manjula Ratnayake
highlighted the value of freezing assets involved in cash laundering cases
However, he kept in mind that the residential or commercial property in question had not been frozen.While acknowledging the severity of the
case, the Additional Magistrate mentioned that the prosecution stopped working to provide adequate evidence to justify additional remanding
the suspect.The Additional Magistrate dismissed the prosecutions argument that public unrest and the gravity of the charges required
continued detention, stating that remanding a suspect requires substantive proof instead of generalized claims.Based on the truths provided,
the court ruled in favor of releasing Yoshitha Rajapaksa on bail, while repeating the requirement for ongoing examination into the
allegations.However, the Additional Solicitor General Dilipa Peiris, representing the FCID, specified to the court that this case is part of
a more comprehensive examination involving 3 different cash laundering accusations against Yoshitha Rajapaksa
These consist of:-The purchase of a Rs
50 million worth house in Dehiwala-Investments in the CSN Channel-The purchase of the Rs
350 million Ratmalana propertyThe examinations will continue under the FCID, with additional court procedures anticipated, Ada Derana
