Former Navy Commander Fleet of the Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda has been arrested by the Bribery Commission. The arrest is related to an ongoing investigation into the recruitment of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son Yoshitha Rajapaksa into the Sri Lanka Navy.
The investigation is being conducted over allegations that the standard recruitment qualifications for naval executive officers were changed to enable the recruitment of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son Yoshitha Rajapaksa.
The Bribery Commission is accusing the former Navy Commander of misusing public funds to finance his training at the Britannia Royal Naval College in the United Kingdom.
Karannagoda had earlier been summoned to appear before the Bribery Commission on June 16 to record a statement regarding his role in the recruitment process. However, he did not appear, claiming that he had not received a formal summons.
Yoshitha Rajapaksa was arrested on June 17 in connection with this investigation and after being produced before the court, he was released on bail on three personal sureties of Rs. 5 million each.
Former Navy Commander Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda, who was arrested by the Bribery Commission, has now been brought from the Commission to the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.