Reuters, Colombo :
Sri Lankan police arrested the eldest son of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday for misappropriation of funds in an apartment project, his lawyer said, the third member of the once-powerful family to be detained.
Namal Rajapaksa, who is also a member of parliament, had been questioned by financial police investigating the $650-million high-end project in the capital Colombo. He appeared before a court on Monday and was remanded in police custody for a week, his lawyer Premanath C. Dolawatta said. Namal has
denied any wrongdoing and said the government was on a witchhunt of its political rivals instead of delivering on its promise of good governance. Since he swept to power in January 2015, President Maithripala Sirisena has launched a series of investigations into deals that were cleared by his predecessor Rajapaksa and his family members, some of whom were in the cabinet. Namal’s uncle Basil Rajapaksa, who headed the economic development ministry, was arrested over the misuse of an anti-poverty government fund and under anti-money-laundering charges.
Sri Lankan police arrested the eldest son of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday for misappropriation of funds in an apartment project, his lawyer said, the third member of the once-powerful family to be detained.
Namal Rajapaksa, who is also a member of parliament, had been questioned by financial police investigating the $650-million high-end project in the capital Colombo. He appeared before a court on Monday and was remanded in police custody for a week, his lawyer Premanath C. Dolawatta said. Namal has
denied any wrongdoing and said the government was on a witchhunt of its political rivals instead of delivering on its promise of good governance. Since he swept to power in January 2015, President Maithripala Sirisena has launched a series of investigations into deals that were cleared by his predecessor Rajapaksa and his family members, some of whom were in the cabinet. Namal’s uncle Basil Rajapaksa, who headed the economic development ministry, was arrested over the misuse of an anti-poverty government fund and under anti-money-laundering charges.
