The Namal Rajapaksa money laundering case will face further CID investigation after the Attorney General requested additional bank records.
The Namal Rajapaksa money laundering case will undergo further investigation after the Attorney General directed the Criminal Investigation Department to obtain additional bank records.
The CID informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court today that the direction relates to a complaint filed against Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa and four other suspects under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Authorities originally filed the complaint during the former “Yahapalana” administration.
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Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama heard the latest submissions in the case.
CID officers told court that investigators had completed their earlier inquiries and forwarded the relevant files to the Attorney General.
However, during a discussion held on October 14 last year, the Attorney General instructed investigators to obtain account records from Pan Asia Bank and Nations Trust Bank.
The Attorney General also directed the CID to conduct further inquiries after examining those records.
President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis, appearing for the suspects, told court that the investigation had continued for nearly 11 years.
The Chief Magistrate then questioned investigators about how long they would need to obtain the requested banking information.
The investigating officer said the CID would expedite the process and submit a progress report to court.
Accordingly, the Magistrate ordered authorities to call the case again on October 29. Investigators must report their progress on that date.
The CID alleges that Rajapaksa and the other suspects committed an offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act by investing Rs.15 million in allegedly unlawfully acquired funds in NR Consultancy.
The allegations have not reached a final judicial determination.
Namal Rajapaksa, Nithya Samaranyake, Sujani Bogollagama and Sudarshana Bandara appeared before court when the case was called.
The next hearing will focus on the CID’s progress in securing the bank records and completing the additional investigation ordered by the Attorney General.
