Attorneys for 98-year-old Daisy Forrest Wickramasinghe, grandmother of Yoshitha Rajapaksa, have requested her release from the ongoing money laundering case, citing severe memory loss and dementia that render her unfit to face trial.
A request was submitted to the Gangodawila Magistrate’s Court seeking the release of Daisy Forrest Wickramasinghe from the investigation linked to Yoshitha Rajapaksa. President’s Counsel Anil Silva, appearing for her, told the court that “the 98-year-old is suffering from memory loss and dementia and cannot advise her to continue the case.” He also submitted medical documents confirming her deteriorating mental condition.
He further reminded the court that in 2017 it had already declared Daisy Forest incapable of managing her own property, assigning another person to oversee her affairs. Silva urged the court to consider these medical and legal precedents before continuing proceedings against her.
However, Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, representing the Attorney General’s Department, objected to the immediate release. He insisted that “a special medical board should be appointed to examine Daisy Forrest’s condition, as this was the first time the issue had been raised in court.”
Bandara told the court that during investigations in April 2016, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had discovered a valuable collection of gems in Forrest’s possession. While the assets were registered under her name, he said, “the money used to purchase them was allegedly provided by Yoshitha Rajapaksa.”
The Deputy Solicitor General further warned that releasing Forrest from the case could “allow another party to benefit from her exemption.” He emphasized that although the CID had recorded a statement from her in 2016, “that statement had not been presented before the Magistrate’s Court or any other judicial institution.”
When the court inquired if Forrest had been diagnosed with dementia at the time of her initial statement, the CID confirmed that “she had not been diagnosed with such a disease at that time.”
After hearing both sides, the Gangodawila Magistrate adjourned the case until November 26, pending further medical evaluation and submissions.
In February this year, the Attorney General filed indictments under the Money Laundering Act against both Yoshitha Rajapaksa and his grandmother Daisy Forest Wickramasinghe before the Colombo High Court. The case stems from a long-running investigation that began in 2016, focusing on suspicious financial transactions involving large sums of money and property acquisitions.
According to police investigations, Yoshitha Rajapaksa was unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for several fixed deposits and bank accounts linked to his name and that of his grandmother. Authorities allege that the funds were deposited through various accounts, including a joint account maintained between the two.
The prosecution contends that these financial activities violated provisions of the Money Laundering Act, as the origin of the funds could not be legally accounted for. The alleged use of Daisy Forest’s name to mask the transactions added complexity to the case, raising questions about intent and accountability.
As the court deliberates on whether Daisy Forest is medically fit to stand trial, the case continues to draw public attention due to its ties to the Rajapaksa family. If a medical board confirms her dementia, she could be exempted from proceedings, leaving Yoshitha Rajapaksa as the primary defendant.
