Rakhitha Rajapakshe and two others produced in court over Harak Kata bribery case
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Attorney Rakhitha Rajapakshe and two others were produced before court this morning (July 3) over an alleged bribery case linked to organised criminal “Harak Kata”.
Rakhitha Rajapakshe, the son of former Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe; Charith Abeysinghe, a former Samagi Jana Balawegaya Horana electorate organiser; and Aruna Warushahennadige, a former Director of Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd., were brought before court today.
The three suspects were arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption on June 25, 2026. They were later produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court and remanded until today (July 3, 2026).
The investigation is linked to organised criminal Nandun Chinthaka Wickramaratne, also known as “Harak Kata”, who was arrested in Madagascar and later held under detention orders by the Criminal Investigation Department.
According to the Bribery Commission, the three suspects had travelled to Dubai in March 2023 on the same flight.
The Commission said investigations had revealed that they met Harak Kata’s wife, Madhushika Maduwanthi, and an organised criminal known as Midigama Ruwan during the visit.
The Bribery Commission said a bribe of Rs. 500 million had allegedly been requested after promising to prevent Harak Kata from being killed by the Police, remove his detention orders, transfer him to a prison other than the Boossa High Security Prison, and secure his release from investigations.
Investigations have also revealed that the amount was later reduced to Rs. 200 million.
According to the Commission, Rs. 100 million had allegedly been obtained first as an advance, while another Rs. 20 million had been obtained later.
It has also been reported that the money had been brought into the country through the Undiyal system.
Investigations had further revealed that Rakhitha Rajapakshe, Charith Abeysinghe and Aruna Warushahennadige had returned to Sri Lanka on the same flight.
(Image credit: Courtesy of the respective owners)
