President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has defended the ongoing corruption investigation involving an elderly female relative of the Rajapaksa family, emphasizing that age will not shield those implicated in the misuse of public funds from scrutiny.
Dismissing criticism against the questioning of the woman, believed to be connected to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s family, Dissanayake stressed that accountability extends to all individuals involved in concealing stolen state resources. He stated that the investigation focuses on recovering looted public funds, regardless of the age or familial ties of those involved.
While Dissanayake did not mention specific names, his remarks are widely interpreted as a reference to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) probe into Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and his grand-aunt Daisy Forrest Wickramasinghe. Investigators suspect that Wickramasinghe may have been used to conceal stolen public funds through her assets.
Dissanayake reaffirmed his government’s commitment to eradicating corruption, irrespective of political connections or family ties. Since taking office in 2024, his administration has initiated multiple investigations into financial misconduct and corruption linked to members of the former Rajapaksa regime, including probes into military procurement deals and the misuse of foreign aid.