Sri Lanka: Ex-Navy Chief Arrested over Recruitment of Rajapaksa’s Son
Anti-graft officials said Karannagoda unlawfully recruited Yoshitha Rajapaksa and sent him for overseas training at state expense, then a court granted bail.
- On Friday, July 3, 2026, Sri Lanka's anti-graft authorities arrested Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda over the illegal 2006 recruitment of Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa; the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court granted him bail.
- The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption accused Karannagoda of "unlawful recruitment," alleging he facilitated Yoshitha's training at the Royal Naval Academy in the United Kingdom at state expense despite failing to meet qualifications.
- Karannagoda commanded the Sri Lankan Navy during the 2009 civil war victory and previously faced accusations in the "Navy 11" case involving the disappearance of 11 youths in 2008 and 2009, though charges were dropped in 2021.
- These charges were revived under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who pledged to crack down on corruption after his September 2024 election, while the case drew international attention from the United Nations regarding military crimes.
- Britain sanctioned Karannagoda in March 2025 for human rights violations; several Rajapaksa family members face ongoing legal proceedings, including Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who received a foreign travel ban last month regarding the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Karannagoda given bail in Yoshitha Navy recruitment case
Former Navy Commander Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) yesterday over recruitment of Yoshitha Rajapaksa to the Navy, in 2006, allegedly outside the required criteria. In a statement, CIABOC said Karannagoda was taken into custody on allegations that Yoshitha Rajapaksa had been enlisted as a cadet executive officer, despite not meeting the require…
Former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda granted bail
Former Navy Commander Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda, who was arrested earlier on Friday by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), was granted bail by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court after being produced before court. Karannagoda was taken into custody this morning by Bribery Commission officials over allegations linked to the recruitment of Yoshitha Rajapaksa to the Sri Lanka Navy in 2006. A…
Colombo, 3 Jul 2026 (AFP) – The former Chief of Staff of the Sri Lankan Navy was arrested on Friday for failing to regulate the institution during the recruitment and training of the son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, announced the Sri Lankan Anti-Corruption Commission. Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, 73 years old, was [...] Article Sri Lanka: The former boss of the navy arrested for corruption appeared first on MARINE & OCEANS.
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