The Colombo High Court was informed that former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda had requested funds and allowances exceeding £4,000 for Yoshitha Rajapaksa to attend a training programme in the United Kingdom while serving in the Sri Lanka Navy.
The revelation was made during the hearing of a case filed by the Attorney General against Yoshitha Rajapaksa under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The case alleges that he committed an offence by purchasing five plots of land in the Dehiwala and Ratmalana areas valued at more than Rs. 73 million.
The case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga.
Navy officer Dhammika Priyadarshana Wickramaarachchi, giving evidence under the direction of Senior State Counsel Oswald Perera, testified that Yoshitha Rajapaksa received a monthly salary of Rs. 16,390 during his service in the Navy.
According to official records presented to court, Yoshitha Kanishka Rajapaksa served as a Lieutenant in the Sri Lanka Navy from December 14, 2006, to February 28, 2016. His monthly salary was stated as Rs. 16,500, with Rs. 110 deducted, resulting in a net payment of Rs. 16,390, inclusive of allowances.
The witness further stated that former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda had written to the Secretary of the Ministry of Defence requesting funds for Rajapaksa to attend a young naval officers’ training programme in the United Kingdom.
The request included £4,174.80 for accommodation and meals and Rs. 20,362 for course fees. Based on the exchange rate at the time, the sterling amount was valued at close to Rs. 1 million.
Another Navy officer, Nuwan Thushara, testified that Yoshitha Rajapaksa received a total of Rs. 5,150,626 in salaries and allowances during his 10 years of service in the Navy.
Navy officer Devinda Udayakumara also testified that Rajapaksa had submitted declarations of assets and liabilities to the Navy covering the period from March 31, 2009, to March 31, 2015.
Further evidence was presented by Senarath Bandara, a court clerk appearing on behalf of the Registrar of the Nugegoda District Court.
His testimony was based on the original court file of a case concerning property linked to Daisy Forrest.
The witness told court that an order issued on March 15, 2017, by then Nugegoda District Judge Sahan Mapa appointed a third defendant to administer Forrest’s estate and named another individual as her guardian on the basis that she was suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
However, he said the order did not contain a note indicating that the court had been satisfied regarding her medical condition. He also stated that the court records contained no details of the estate, including any list of movable or immovable property or financial assets belonging to Daisy Forrest.
Following the proceedings, Judge Udesh Ranatunga fixed October 30 for the continuation of the trial and directed the remaining prosecution witnesses to appear in court on that date.
