The Colombo High Court issued an order today to freeze four bank accounts and two luxury vehicles belonging to Attorney-at-Law Rakitha Rajapakshe, son of former Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, for a three-month period.
The court gave the directive after considering submissions presented by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC). The assets had previously been temporarily frozen by the Commission.
The bribery investigation
According to reports, the Bribery Commission initially froze the four accounts, which hold around Rs. 40 million, alongside the two vehicles under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
This probe connects to claims that Rakitha Rajapakshe, Charith Abeysinghe and another individual obtained a bribe of Rs. 120 million from the wife of notorious drug trafficker Harak Kata. The suspects are accused of taking the money to arrange Harak Kata's release from Criminal Investigation Department (CID) detention and shift him to a secure prison.
Bail and asset tracing
The three individuals were previously arrested by the Bribery Commission and placed in remand before the Colombo Magistrate's Court granted them bail.
Because the alleged Rs. 120 million sum has not been recovered yet, the Bribery Commission launched an inquiry into their assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
