Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has publicly denied ownership of a 12-room mansion built near the Menik River in Kataragama, stating in a recent Facebook post that the property is not his and that his name was only mentioned due to an electricity application submitted under “G. Rajapaksha.” He claimed the application lacked a proper signature and reiterated that he has never had any interest in owning property in the Kataragama area.
However, investigations by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) have revealed that electricity and water bills for the property were issued under the name Gotabaya Rajapaksa, not “G. Rajapaksha” as he claimed. The June 2015 water bill, for example, was issued under invoice number 201508, with an outstanding balance of Rs. 10,423.
The property, located at Wanaraja Place, Depot Road, Kataragama, was constructed on government reservation land and has been the subject of a 15-year legal and investigative dispute. The CID investigation, which began during the Yahapalana government, was reportedly paused during Gotabaya’s presidency but has since been revived under the current administration.
The house was allegedly built using military labour and government resources, including personnel from development programs such as Maga Neguma and Gama Neguma. A Sri Lankan Navy officer, assigned to Yoshitha Rajapaksa’s security detail, was found to be occupying the property after its construction.
Statements have been recorded from several individuals, including:
- Gotabaya Rajapaksa
- Yoshitha Rajapaksa
- Neville Wanniarachchi, Mahinda Rajapaksa’s former security officer
- Ashoka Wickramasinghe, former Chairman of the Kataragama Pradeshiya Sabha, who was arrested for allegedly preparing fraudulent documents to approve the construction.
Yoshitha Rajapaksa, when questioned, claimed he had no knowledge of the property. However, the presence of naval officers assigned to him at the site raised further concerns about misuse of state security personnel for private purposes[5].
The Attorney General has since instructed that the property be handed over to the Irrigation Department, asserting that any construction on its land falls under its jurisdiction.
This case has reignited broader allegations of corruption and misuse of public resources by members of the Rajapaksa family. Reports have surfaced of military personnel being used for personal tasks, including construction work and even domestic chores for family members.