Namal Remanded Until September 23 in Money Laundering Case

COLOMBO (News 1st); Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa was today ordered to remain in remand custody until September 23 in connection with a money laundering case filed by the Criminal Investigation Department over alleged financial irregularities linked to the procurement of aircraft for SriLankan Airlines.

Rajapaksa, who is already in remand custody, was produced before the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court today, in relation to the case, which has been instituted under money laundering provisions following investigations into Airbus Scandal.

Namal Rajapaksa, the son of Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was named as a suspect in the case on September 13 on the instructions of the Attorney General's Department.

The money laundering investigation comes from allegations of financial irregularities said to have occurred during the procurement of aircraft for SriLankan Airlines, with the Criminal Investigation Department pursuing inquiries into the matter.

The case is separate from proceedings relating to allegations of bribery connected to the Airbus transaction.

Namal Rajapaksa was previously arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption over allegations of accepting bribes in relation to the Airbus deal.

Following his arrest on September 4 and his subsequent production before the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court, he had already been remanded until September 18 in that case.

However, when today's proceedings before the Fort Magistrate focused on the CID's money laundering case, the court ordered that Rajapaksa be further remanded until September 23.