Colombo, Sri Lanka – Daisy Forest Wickramasinghe, the 97-year-old grandmother of Yoshitha Rajapaksa, appeared before the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court after being arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with a money laundering investigation related to Carlton Sports Private Limited.
The CID had been investigating the company, formerly chaired by Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, since 2016 on money laundering charges. During the investigation, a fixed deposit account containing over Rs. 59 million was discovered, jointly held by Yoshitha Rajapaksa and Daisy Wickramasinghe. Authorities sought clarification on the source of the funds, which remained undisclosed.
Following her statement at the CID, Wickramasinghe was arrested and presented before the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court. The Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) confirmed that charges had been filed against her under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
During the court hearing, defense lawyer Wayara requested bail, citing her advanced age and declining memory. He argued that she had already given a statement on the matter ten years ago and that the investigation extract had been submitted for the Attorney General’s advice in 2017.
“Sir, my client first gave a statement in relation to the investigations ten years ago. She is now ninety-seven years old. While she remains physically active, her memory has deteriorated significantly. She cannot recall anything beyond her name and may not even remember what she ate for breakfast. Under these circumstances, she is being questioned about financial transactions that took place in 2013,” the lawyer stated.
The CID did not object to granting bail, and after reviewing the case, the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court ordered her release on three sureties of Rs. 5 million each.
This development raises questions about the prosecution’s approach in handling long-standing financial investigations and the practicality of interrogating an elderly individual with severe memory issues.
