Former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa is likely to be arrested in the coming days in connection with a controversial compensation payment he received for a property allegedly damaged during the May 9, 2022 unrest, state-run newspaper Silumina has reported.
According to the report, Rajapaksa claimed Rs. 15.2 million from the government, citing damages to his residence and property in Magama, Tissamaharama. However, investigations have since revealed that the said property does not belong to him, nor does it contain a residential structure — only a paddy storage facility was found on site.
Despite submitting an affidavit stating the property was in his possession, further inquiries uncovered that the land is registered under another person’s name. A valuation report from July 2023 claimed the presence of a house worth Rs. 14.8 million on the premises, alongside Rs. 222,600 in damages to the storehouse.
The Public Administration Ministry later informed the relevant authorities that compensation under their purview could not be processed in this case. Despite this, the payment was reportedly made in full.
Silumina notes that the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) is now set to question Chamal Rajapaksa over the alleged misappropriation, with legal action expected against government officials involved in authorizing the payment. (Newswire)
