Namal and seven others charged with money laundering

The Financial Crimes Investigation Department (FCID) yesterday filed charges, including those of money laundering, against eight people, including former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s eldest son Namal. 

After considering the complaint, Court also ordered four bank accounts belonging to a company allegedly owned by MP Namal Rajapaksa to be frozen till investigations were completed.   

FCID submitted its report to Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris following an investigation launched into a complaint lodged by the organisation titled Voice Against Corruption (VAC). The complaint accusation MP Namal Rajapaksa of money laundering charges.

The complaint lodged by JVP Provincial Councillor Wasantha Samarasinghe last year had charged a company by the name of Gowers Corporate Ltd., allegedly headed by Rajapaksa junior, had purchased shares from a company called Hellocorp. 

The shares worth an estimated Rs. 125 million were allegedly bought with money that could not be legally accounted for, according to the FCID report. 

In the report, the FCID sought a Magistrate’s order to suspend four fixed deposits that were in several banks and to ban the seven employees of the two companies from travelling abroad.

Subsequently, the Magistrate ordered the suspension of the four fixed deposits and imposed a travel ban on the seven employees.  

Former President Rajapaksa’s second son Yoshitha is also under arrest on money laundering charges. His request for bail is to be considered by the Court on 14 March.