Money Laundering Case Against Yoshitha & Grandmother Set For Hearing

COLOMBO (News 1st): The Colombo High Court fixed September 28 for the pre-trial conference in the case filed against Yoshitha Rajapaksa and his grandmother, Daisy Forrest, over allegations of money laundering involving more than Rs. 59 million.

The order was made when the case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Rashmi Singappuli.

During the proceedings, State Counsel informed court that the accused had filed a revision application before the Supreme Court challenging the proceedings and that the matter is scheduled to be taken up before the Supreme Court on September 4 for confirmation.

In view of the pending Supreme Court proceedings, the prosecution requested that the pre-trial conference in the High Court case be fixed for a date after the Supreme Court hearing.

Having considered the submissions made by the parties, the High Court Judge ordered that the pre-trial conference be held on September 28.

The case has been filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, alleging that between March 31, 2009 and December 12, 2013, more than Rs. 59 million, the source of which could not be satisfactorily explained, was deposited into fixed deposit accounts maintained in three private bank accounts.

The prosecution alleges that the funds were placed in the accounts during the relevant period in a manner amounting to an offence under Sri Lanka's anti-money laundering laws.