Cases against Rajapaksa regime’s powerful politicians and top officials likely in the High Court for money laundering
View(s):Several powerful politicians and top officials of the Rajapaksa regime are likely to be charged in the Colombo High Court on money laundering charges – however based on the Attorney General’s (AG) advice, Police Department sources revealed.
They said the views of the AG have been sought on whether charges could be filed against former ministers Basil Rajapaksa, Mahindanada Aluthgamage, former Defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Chief of Staff of the President Gamini Senarath and a few other top officials in the High Court. Sri Lanka law enforcement authorities are pursuing further investigations into financial frauds allegedly committed by the Rajapaksa Government during the previous regime and officers specially trained by British experts have been deployed for this purpose, Police sources disclosed.
British experts from the Serious Fraud office (SFO) have provided specialized training for Police officers to carry out investigations into financial frauds, they said, adding that investigators should have special skills and knowledge in handling money laundering cases.
Some of these cases are now before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court and advice has been sought from the AG as to whether indictments could be filed in a higher court due to the complex nature of these alleged financial frauds, Police Media Spokesperson ASP Ruwan Gunasekara told the Business Times.
The Financial Crime Investigation Division (FCID) and Criminal Investigation Division (CID) have already filed ‘B’ reports under the Money Laundering Act No: 5 of 2006 after probing into allegations of financial misappropriation at the Colombo Chief Magistrate Court indicating progress of their investigations, he said.
He pointed out that FCID investigators are fully geared to carry out those special investigations and they are tackling all legal barriers and loopholes preventing suspects from escaping the net of law enforcement authorities. However the Police have to act in accordance with the AG’s advice and they cannot rush through money laundering cases without concrete evidence, he added.