NAVY Halts YOSHITHA PROBE

From Weekend Nation - By RUWAN LAKNATH JAYAKODY

All investigations conducted by the Board of Inquiry of the Navy on Lieutenant Yoshitha Rajapaksa has been temporarily halted due to his arrest on allegations of money laundering, Navy Spokesperson, Captain Akram Alavi said.

The Navy appointed a Board of Inquiry to probe several issues including Rajapaksa’s educational qualifications and his overseas travels which were not approved by the Navy Commander.

“Lieutenant of the Navy, Yoshitha Rajapaksa obtained the necessary grading at the second sitting of the General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level examination,” Captain Alavi informed.
‘It is not only about the said matter but so many other important matters pertaining to Rajapaksa that Boards of Inquiry were appointed, and it was when the said inquiries were going on that he was arrested by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division on suspicion of involvement in money laundering at the Carlton Sports Network’, Alavi noted.

“These inquiries are now held up. There is the important matter of him having travelled overseas for over 70 times and only for 20 such visits that he had obtained the approval of the Commander of the Navy. This was during the time when he was attached to the Presidential Secretariat. Action regarding all of this will be taken in due course,” he added.

Military Spokesman, Brigadier Jayanath Jayaweera said that since the inquiry was in progress he was not in a position to comment on the matter.

Police Media Spokesman, Assistant Superintendent of Police Ruwan Gunasekera claimed that the Police was not investigating the matters pertaining to Rajapaksa’s educational qualifications.