Rajapaksas have siphoned off over USD 18 billion, says Mangala
The government is getting the backing of four foreign nations to trace billions of dollars allegedly siphoned off by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family during their decade in power, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said.
The observation was made at a press conference held in Colombo on Thursday (7).
This has come to light through a report sent to the government by the intelligence, according to the Foreign Minister.
“We believe that the Rajapaksas hold assets worth over USD 18 billion (approximate Rs. 237,933,000,000) in foreign countries,” he said.
“A probe has been launched to investigate this matter,” he added, saying four foreign nations have agreed to back the investigation.
“Yet, Rajapaksa wants to contest as the prime ministerial candidate. I suggest that time has come for him to spend his retirement,” Samaraweera said.
He also asserted the public cast their votes against the former regime in a bid to put a full stop to corruption scandals and frauds. “The country needed a new political culture and that we created with the January polls,” he said.
(Ada Derana)
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Remeber Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Tamara Kunanayakam, called/accused you a liar. You haven’t contradicted it or proven she was wrong. So until you show us some evidence, where the money are missing from (at least half of what you claimed to have siphoned off) , lots of people do not believe your sound bite.
There is something you deliberately (may be) avoid issuing media statement about. That is:-
– The International Monetary Fund raised concern on Wednesday over Sri Lanka’s fiscal deficit in 2015 and the medium term after the new government increased wages and spending.
The Fund said the 2015 deficit target of 4.4 percent of gross domestic production (GDP) “will likely be very difficult to reach even with relatively optimistic assumptions regarding revenue gains”.
The new government of President Maithripala Sirisena, who unseated former leader Mahinda Rajapaksa in a Jan. 8 election, has changed several fiscal policies including reducing import taxes on some commodities and fuel prices.
Mangala, you have mentioned in one of your articles, that you have proof for 2 billion dollars which Mahinda has deposited in some bank. This amount is more than enough to charge him, why not arrest him now, you have the proof. As Tamara Kunanayakam said, you are a liar.
Politician’s memories run pretty short.
We all know how Hon Mangala Samaraweera threatened in to cross over to the UPFA a few weeks prior to the nominations (Nov 2014) for the Presidential Elections 2015 when Ranil Wickremasinghe was unwilling to give up his quest for nominating as the presidential candidate.
The former President Mahinda Rajapaksa clearly stated at that time that he was unwilling to replace External Affairs Minister, GL Peiris with Mangala Samaraweera in return for the cross over.
We all know how Mangala Samaraweera entertained Mahinda Rajapaksa at dinner in his residence at Panadura (or somewhere near there) at that time. Had this crossover occurred, Mangala Samaraweera would have been perhaps, the External Affairs Minister under a new UPFA Govt.
Now, Hon Mangala Samaraweera is coming out with baseless but headline catching allegations. First, it was the coup attempt on the night of the 8th Jan 2015; second, it is USD 18billion stolen and stacked overseas.
Hon Mangala should realise that it is not always possible to pull wool over the eyes of the amude wearing citizenry of our land.
Oh ! first we had stories about luxury cars, then private planes and helicopters, then Buckingham horses, then colombo harbour city bribes, and so many.
100 days plus gone, not a single case proved, in fact the harbour city bribes have proved to be a hollow fart. No cars found, only found a crapy helicopter that cannot fly and only good for scrap metal. Imaginary Buckingham horse proved to be more intelligent Sri Lanka’s current foreign minister.
What a bunch of jockers !
In the mean time the country is slowly going down the hill. Today news reported that the national foreign trade deficit has climbed past 10% !
Now this man has come up with another new story, without proving a single one before – money in un-named banks in un-named countries. Must be another usual hollow fart from this idiot.
Sri Lanka is sick and tired of this idiot’s lies. This guy must be hauled to courts for deformation, misleading the public and stealing and cheating votes using unsubstantiated lies.
He has made a mistake it may be 1.8 billion