Rajpaksa regime’s corrupt officials can’t escape: Sri Lanka PM

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday said the ongoing investigations against “corrupt” members of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa regime will continue without political interference.

The members of Mr Raja-paksa’s immediate family and others are charged of money laundering. His second son Yoshitha Rajap-aksa, who is also a Navy lieutenant is currently in remand custody over mon-ey laundering charges. He was arrested on January 30.

Mr Rajapaksa’s younger brother Basil Rajapaksa, the former economic development minister has also been charged in court in addition to facing the special presidential panel probing corruption.

The Opposition has accused the government of a political witch hunt by targeting the members of the former regime.

Mr Wickremesinghe said there will be “no escape for corrupt members of the former regime and the investigations into large scale fraud and corruption is being conducted in a transparent and independent manner”.

Yoshitha was quizzed in connection with TV channel Carlton Sports Network (CSN) which had close links with the Rajapaksa sons. Nishantha Ranatunga, who was CSN’s CEO, was also among those arrested. He was also the secretary of the cricket governing body.

Mr Wickremesinghe said that the investigators must be given time to conduct a comprehensive probe.

On the question of alleged off-shore accounts maintained by the members of the former regime, Mr Wickremesinghe said no police complaints have been lodged over off-shore accounts as part of the corruption probe. Action on off shore accounts will be taken when details of them transpired through the on going investigations, he said.