Investigations into former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa over the murder of Wasim Thajudeen and several alleged financial crimes have reached a crucial stage. Shiranthi is expected to give a statement to investigators next week. She was summoned to the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) on September 24 over alleged financial irregularities involving an account maintained by the Siriliya Saviya Foundation, which she headed.
Police launched the investigation on the advice of the Attorney General’s Department, which said there were sufficient grounds to consider criminal charges over alleged corruption and financial irregularities involving two luxury buses imported with millions of rupees in customs duty waivers, ostensibly for the Ministry of Sports, and later provided to the Carlton Preschool run by Shiranthi.
A separate investigation is also underway into the alleged misuse of Rs.100 million provided by the National Savings Bank (NSB) to the Siriliya Saviya Foundation during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency.
Investigators have found that the money was donated to the foundation on the verbal instructions of the then NSB Chairman, based on a letter claiming that Siriliya Saviya needed funds to donate a CT scanner to the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children in Colombo. The donation was made without proper verification of the request, investigators said.
Investigations have further revealed that a CT scanner was subsequently donated to the hospital, allegedly in connection with the birthday of one of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s sons, while being represented as having been purchased with the funds provided to the foundation.
Siriliya Saviya’s banking transactions were conducted through an account at the People’s Bank branch at Suduwella on Darley Road, Colombo. Shiranthi and several associates were listed as authorised signatories.
Investigators have found that false National Identity Card numbers had been provided for some of the signatories, including 222222222 and 111111111. The mandate containing the full details of the account holders has also reportedly gone missing. Investigators are therefore examining not only the alleged financial irregularities but also the provision of false information and forged documents in connection with the account.
Transaction records show that Rs. 82,900,089 was credited to the account in 88 transactions, while Rs. 39,015,651 was withdrawn in 129 transactions. Investigators have also confirmed that Siriliya Saviya held a fixed deposit of Rs. 10 million.
A house at No. 260/17, Torrington Avenue, Colombo 7, was purchased for Rs. 35 million using Siriliya Saviya funds and registered in the name of Mary Lourdes Wickramasinghe. Investigators have assessed the property’s actual value at more than Rs. 200 million. Tharunyata Hetak, Nil Balakaya and Siriliya Saviya were all registered at the same address.
Investigations into Thajudeen’s murder have also revealed that the Defender allegedly linked to the killing had been used for Siriliya Saviya activities. The vehicle had been provided to the foundation by the Red Cross, and investigators had previously found that its colour had been changed before it was used.
Extensive inquiries were also conducted into a large number of telephone calls made from Temple Trees to the Narahenpita Police and several other locations on the day Thajudeen was killed.
Meanwhile, investigators are examining a possible connection between Thajudeen’s murder and the death, in the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, of the husband of a local government candidate who operated a motor vehicle sales business.
Thajudeen had reportedly been with the businessman, who was his friend, shortly before his murder. The businessman’s wife had been closely involved in political activities with an SLPP leader and contested the 2018 local government elections.
The businessman was killed in the suicide bombing at the Shangri-La Hotel on April 21, 2019. A petition filed by Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini against former President Maithripala Sirisena identifies him as one of those killed in the attack.
Investigators have so far been unable to establish why the businessman went alone to the Shangri-La Hotel that day or why he subsequently appeared in the hotel lobby. Thajudeen’s body was found on May 17, 2012, inside a vehicle that had been set on fire near the Shalika Grounds on Udyana Road, Narahenpita.