<ul><li>Keith Noyahr case completed, evidence submitted</li><li>Ekneligoda case tied to Rajapaksa clan</li><li>Easter Sunday investigation ongoing, details withheld</li><li>Sirisena likely to face CID over pending investigations</li></ul> The Government has intensified its investigations into former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena, along with key associates from the previous administrations, amid allegations of large-scale misappropriation of public funds and involvement in criminal acts.This development comes just days after the arrest, remand, and subsequent release on bail of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe – a case that has drawn significant attention.Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala said that all major high-profile cases were under active investigation by the Government’s specialised teams.“We are now finalising all investigations concerning Keith Noyahr and have presented the evidence to the Chief Magistrate’s Court for the third time, with the report already submitted to the Attorney General,” he said.&nbsp;“Prageeth Ekneligoda’s case is also being examined, and it is the same group of people associated with the Rajapaksa clan who are under investigation. The evidence that was destroyed cannot be recovered overnight, but we are committed to getting to the bottom of it,” he said.Wijepala further stated that investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks were ongoing, but that no further information would be released at this time due to the sensitive nature of the case.“The investigation is sensitive, so there is no necessity to put the information out,” he noted.On the issue of the Government’s capacity to handle such high-profile investigations, the Minister acknowledged the challenges posed by a shortage of staff within the investigation departments.&nbsp;“All departments under my ministry are busy handling investigations into major corruption cases, including alleged misappropriations of large sums of Government money. However, there is a slight delay in the progress of some investigations because we are working with limited staff,” he explained.Addressing concerns over the perceived disparity between investigating ‘small’ and ‘big’ corruption, Wijepala stressed that corruption was corruption, regardless of scale.&nbsp;“As per the Anti-Corruption Act, a bribe is a crime, whether it involves Rs. 100 or millions. What is wrong is wrong, no matter who commits it,” he said.“Some people may have stolen large amounts, but it is not reported. In other cases, small amounts are stolen, but there is more public attention. Law enforcement officers will investigate based on complaints and evidence, not on the scale of the crime.”Commenting on former President Sirisena’s statement that he knew the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday attacks, Wijepala said: “There are other allegations against him as well, and all of those are being examined. Once everything is prepared, he will be called in to give a statement to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).”The nano-fertiliser case, which has attracted significant public attention, is also under investigation, but the Minister cautioned that the Government needed more time to complete the various investigations. “There are simply too many cases to handle at once. Currently, two-thirds of the CID is in court daily to provide evidence,” he revealed.On the matter of the files related to the investigations introduced by the National People’s Power (NPP) before it came to power, Wijepala affirmed that the same files were being used for ongoing investigations.&nbsp;“We are investigating all those cases now and, in time, many more arrests will follow. You can also check the names mentioned by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake when he was in the Opposition,” he said, urging the public to verify the progress of these investigations.Minister Wijepala made it clear that the Government would not interfere in the operations of the Police.“We are not here to dictate terms to the Police. Wherever a complaint is received, the Police will investigate it. Sometimes cases are in court and the process takes time, but we are determined to pursue justice,” he stated.The Minister also addressed concerns regarding the arrest of prominent figures such as former President Wickremesinghe, stating that while some arrests had been politicised, the Government respected the authority of the courts.“In the case of Ranil Wickremesinghe, the court heard both sides for almost seven hours before announcing its verdict. It is not prudent to question the authority of the courts. It is the duty of the lawyers to present their case and seek bail for their clients. This culture of questioning court decisions must change,” he added.Wijepala also highlighted the issue of individuals evading accountability by seeking medical treatment in hospitals instead of serving time in prison.“We will not protect those who act with impunity. If the investigations reveal that a crime has been committed, those responsible should be arrested. The jails are already overcrowded and we don’t need more people there. However, those who deserve to be imprisoned must be held accountable,” he asserted.

High-profile investigations: Govt. intensifies probes into ex-Presidents 

The crucial technical evaluation of bids for the long-stalled Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) expansion project has faced delays, with Deputy Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku now expecting the process to conclude by the end of September.&nbsp;This marks a new timeline, given that the Deputy Minister previously anticipated the evaluation to be completed by the first week of July.“The technical evaluation of the tender process is still ongoing and we are pursuing clarifications from the bidders,” Kodithuwakku stated.&nbsp;He confirmed that two offers had been submitted for the remaining work of Package ‘A1,’ which includes the new Terminal 2 and associated infrastructure.The Deputy Minister underscored the importance of a thorough review, explaining: “We had also pressured the Technical Evaluation Committee to make sure that the evaluation is done correctly. It is very important that we iron out all these matters during the technical evaluation, because if we do not resolve these matters at this stage, it will lead to legal and other complication-related delays later.”In addition to the technical hurdles, the project is also facing financial complexities. The expansion is funded by a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) concessionary loan. However, Kodithuwakku revealed that the initial rates promised by JICA were no longer applicable due to current market conditions.&nbsp;“The allocated funds are not enough,” he said, adding that the Government was in discussions with JICA to secure the extra funding required.The BIA expansion, formally known as the BIA Development Project Phase II Stage 2, aims to boost the airport’s annual passenger capacity from six million to 16 million. Construction on the project was halted in 2022 due to Sri Lanka’s economic crisis.&nbsp;The Government is now working to restart the project, which is critical for the airport that handled 8.5 million travellers in 2024, exceeding its current capacity. Once the new contractor is selected, the project is expected to be completed within 30 months.&nbsp;

BIA expansion: Tender stalled, tech evaluation in late Sept.

The Ministry of Justice is seeking a sum of Rs. 375 million to establish 25 three-person panels to open inquiries on 10,531 files of missing persons from the period prior to 2000.&nbsp;These panels being established are to operate under the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) for files that had not been investigated before.Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara revealed these plans during an event organised by the OMP commemorating the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances held on Friday (29) at Temple Trees.“I have tendered a Cabinet paper asking for Rs. 375 million to establish 25 panels with three members per panel to investigate these cases.”When asked about the focus on cases prior to 2000, a well-placed source at the OMP clarified that the cases after 2000 had been prioritised during the OMP investigations of 2022–2025.The total amount requested has been calculated based on an estimated duration of 45 minutes to one hour per inquiry. The Minister said that the President had indicated that the request would be approved as it was currently under the observations of the Ministry of Finance.“These investigations will hopefully start by November,” the Minister said, adding that the ministry and OMP had already begun the groundwork. He noted that no action could be taken without investigations.Members of families of victims of disappearances who attended the commemorative event expressed their frustration in having to wait to learn about their loved ones.&nbsp;Mariya Helena Dias, who attended the event, questioned how many such institutions would have to be established until she would be told the truth about what had happened to her husband who disappeared.“I have been waiting for my husband’s return for 35 years, but I have not received justice. I want to ask, how many more OMPs must be established until we are finally given justice?”Commenting further on the process of justice, the Minister said that the Government planned to “resolve” this matter before the end of its term: “We do not want this issue to go into our next Government.”According to OMP Executive Director Dr. J. Thatparan, when the OMP was established in 2016, all cases from previous records had been transferred to the OMP, numbering 39,417.&nbsp;After the clearing out of duplications, as of August 2025, a total of 16,966 cases remain. Out of these cases, 6,449 have been subject to preliminary inquiries.The Tracing Unit has traced 22 cases where 15 persons had been identified to be alive in Sri Lanka, five living abroad, and two to be deceased.There are currently 36 employees at the OMP and a recruitment of 96 more personnel is due to take place within the next six months.&nbsp;The OMP received a sum of Rs. 115 million as the budget allocation for 2023, out of which Rs. 86 million had been utilised as per the OMP Annual Report of 2023.

Office on Missing Persons: Rs. 375 m pushed for pre-2000 missing files

Several high-profile underworld figures, including the notorious criminal Mandinu Padmasiri alias ‘Kehelbaddara Padme,’ were brought back to Sri Lanka yesterday evening (30), following their recent arrest in Indonesia, according to the Police Media Unit.A special Police team from Sri Lanka had been dispatched earlier yesterday to Jakarta to facilitate their return.The team had taken custody of the suspects from Indonesian authorities and boarded a flight back to Sri Lanka.&nbsp;Upon arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake, extra security measures had been put in place in anticipation of the arrival of these ‘most wanted’ individuals.The arrested suspects, including Padmasiri and other gang members known as ‘Commando Salintha,’ ‘Backhoe Saman,’ ‘Thembili Lahiru,’ and ‘Kudu Nilantha,’ were to be escorted to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) under strict security after a brief detention at the airport.Along with the suspects, a woman and a child who had been travelling with them had also been detained by Indonesian authorities. However, due to the lack of serious criminal charges, both had been deported to Sri Lanka last evening.&nbsp;The arrests had been made during a special operation carried out by Sri Lanka Police, in cooperation with Jakarta Police and Interpol.&nbsp;Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala has said that while 75 criminals who were currently overseas had red notices issued on them by Interpol, around 20 of them had been arrested by Sri Lankan authorities.&nbsp;

Notorious crime leaders brought to Sri Lanka

A recent ruling by the US Court of Appeals, which found that US President Donald Trump’s tariffs were an unlawful use of presidential authority, could ease the burden on Sri Lankan exports, according to Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development Secretary A. Vimalenthirarajah.The court’s decision, due to take effect on 14 October, determined that the Trump administration had overstepped its authority in imposing a series of unilateral tariffs on foreign goods.&nbsp;Among these measures was a 20% reciprocal tariff on Sri Lankan exports, a levy that has reduced the competitiveness of local products in the US market since its introduction.Explaining the implications, Vimalenthirarajah said that if the ruling were to stand, Sri Lankan exports would automatically revert to the Most-Favoured Nation (MFN) rate, which is the standard tariff applied to all World Trade Organization (WTO) members.&nbsp;“If the reciprocal tariff is suspended, then our exports will go back to the MFN rate. That means the additional 20% duty will no longer apply,” he said.However, he cautioned that the situation was still evolving, with the ministry yet to receive official confirmation from the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington. The US Government is also expected to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court, a move that could delay the suspension of the tariffs.&nbsp;“If an appeal is filed, the tariffs could remain in place until the Supreme Court delivers its final decision,” Vimalenthirarajah explained. “This is similar to our own system, where a decision can be put on hold if it is challenged in a higher court.”Should the Supreme Court decide to uphold the appeal, he added, the tariffs could remain in effect for an extended period.

US trade tariffs: US court ruling could benefit local exports

The Election Commission (EC) is awaiting a final decision on the electoral system for Provincial Council (PC) Elections, with Sri Lanka having remained without fresh PC Elections for 11 years.Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake stated that the commission could not take any responsibility in relation to conducting the elections as it was awaiting a Government decision on the electoral system for the Provincial Council Elections.In 2017, the Provincial Councils Elections Act of 1988 was refined in order to bring it to the same standard of conduct as Local Government Elections and the mixed-member system was introduced through this refinement.However, the report of the Delimitation Committee chaired by Dr. K. Thavalingam had been rejected in Parliament.&nbsp;“During the past 10 months, we conducted three elections. If we had the law, we wouldn’t be able to delay this. The commission has neither the economic nor legal independence to hold elections without Government approval,” he said.He added that continuing with the old system required a clause or resolution for the representation of women within the system.People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi said that a meeting involving the Election Commission and several political parties had been held on Thursday (28), with favour being extended towards conducting the PC Elections under the old system.Hettiarachchi presented two possible ways in which to hold the PC Elections: adding a short amendment to the old system allowing a quota for female representation or reviewing the rejected delimitation report through a new committee.If the report is to be reviewed, a timeline should be established for the process, he said.According to Hettiarachchi, a preference had emerged during discussions for holding PC Polls in early 2026, before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.He also noted that a private member’s bill for the elections had been discussed.

PC Polls: EC awaits Govt. decision on electoral system

Fuel prices in Sri Lanka are expected to remain consistent when the monthly price revision is announced midnight today (31), according to Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Managing Director Dr. Mayura Neththikumarage.Noting that a reduction of around 10% had been achieved under the new Government, he said: “Overall, the prices have not changed substantially, other than about a 10% reduction since the new administration came into power. Whether it is not significant is not for me to determine.”He noted that Sri Lanka continued to follow a cost-reflective pricing formula, with adjustments directly tied to global market conditions.&nbsp;Commenting on the committee’s review scheduled for tomorrow (1 September), he indicated that prices were expected to remain steady, given that international prices had remained consistent.Addressing concerns over public expectations, Dr. Neththikumarage explained that domestic fuel pricing was also shaped by the country’s outstanding debts. He revealed that a tariff of roughly Rs. 50 per litre on certain fuel products was currently being collected to cover losses incurred by the CPC in past years.&nbsp;He said these funds were administered by the Treasury rather than the CPC itself, due to which he could not provide a timeline for when the debt settlement process would be completed. “The Government’s priority is to first clear these debts before considering further reductions for consumers,” he added.&nbsp;

Fuel prices expected to remain stable: CPC

The Government has decided to deport two Israeli nationals who were arrested for allegedly assaulting a local man at the popular tourist destination of Arugam Bay, Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala said yesterday (30).The incident occurred around 6.15 p.m. on Friday (29) when the two Israeli men, both aged 26, had got involved in an altercation with a Sri Lankan man who had been travelling in a sport utility vehicle with his wife.&nbsp;According to Police, the disagreement had escalated into a physical assault, prompting the arrest of the two foreigners.Wijepala confirmed that swift legal action had been taken: “They were arrested and produced before court, and we have now ordered their deportation.”The Minister underlined that the decision had been based purely on legal grounds and not on the individuals’ nationality.He also acknowledged that the ongoing conflict in Palestine had led some groups to question the Government’s stance on Israel. “We are aware that there is a problem regarding Palestine and that injustice is taking place, but Sri Lanka cannot solve that conflict,” he said.&nbsp;“We need diplomatic ties with all countries. Some Muslims claim that we are taking the side of Israel, but that is not the case. Tourism is our priority and people from all nations are welcome here.”The Minister also mentioned recent inspections of unapproved Chabad houses, which he said were operating like hotels, noting that authorities had since identified these and were looking into those cases more closely.Wijepala stressed that the enforcement of immigration and public order laws applied equally to all foreign visitors: “There are many Sri Lankans employed in Israel and mutual respect must be maintained. At the same time, it really does not matter which country someone comes from. Just last week, we deported several Chinese nationals and 13 Bangladeshis who had overstayed their visas.&nbsp;“When deporting individuals, I personally review the cases and circumstances before placing my signature. These are sensitive matters and we deal with them carefully. But the principle remains the same: anyone entering Sri Lanka must follow our laws.”

Two arrested Israelis to be deported

Sinopec has submitted an Expression of Interest (EOI) for the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery, despite the lack of any final agreement on the Hambantota plan, according to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC).CPC Managing Director Dr. Mayura Neththikumarage confirmed that Sinopec had shown interest in Sapugaskanda, noting that the company’s decision to explore both refinery projects simultaneously could explain the hold up on Hambantota.“Sinopec is now considering a second project, which may be the reason we haven’t finalised the Hambantota deal,” Dr. Neththikumarage said. “But our position on Hambantota remains unchanged.”The Hambantota refinery, which was initially envisioned as a multi-billion-dollar oil refining and storage complex, has faced numerous delays, and no concrete steps have been taken towards finalising the deal.&nbsp;Dr. Neththikumarage noted that Sinopec’s renewed focus on Sapugaskanda suggested a broader interest in Sri Lanka’s energy infrastructure. “They may be looking at both projects at the same time,” he added.The Sapugaskanda Refinery, Sri Lanka’s only operational oil refinery, has long been in need of upgrades to meet growing energy demands. Sinopec’s EOI for this project signals its intent to deepen its engagement in the country’s energy sector, particularly after entering Sri Lanka’s retail fuel market last year.While the Government remains open to Sinopec’s interest, Dr. Neththikumarage pointed out that the discussions were still in early stages. “No final decisions have been made yet, but it shows that Sinopec is committed to investing in Sri Lanka’s energy infrastructure,” he said.&nbsp;

High-profile investigations: Govt. intensifies probes into e ...

BIA expansion: Tender stalled, tech evaluation in late Sept.

BIA expansion: Tender stalled, ...

Office on Missing Persons: Rs. 375 m pushed for pre-2000 missing files

Office on Missing Persons: Rs. ...

Notorious crime leaders brought to Sri Lanka

Notorious crime leaders brough ...

US trade tariffs: US court ruling could benefit local exports

US trade tariffs: US court rul ...

PC Polls: EC awaits Govt. decision on electoral system

PC Polls: EC awaits Govt. deci ...

Fuel prices expected to remain stable: CPC

Fuel prices expected to remain ...

Two arrested Israelis to be deported

Two arrested Israelis to be de ...

Sapugaskanda Refinery proposal: Sinopec submits EOI amid delays on H’t ...

Sapugaskanda Refinery proposal ...

BIA expansion: Tender stalled, tech evaluation in late Sept.

BIA expansion: Tender stalled, ...

Office on Missing Persons: Rs. 375 m pushed for pre-2000 missing files

Office on Missing Persons: Rs. ...

Notorious crime leaders brought to Sri Lanka

Notorious crime leaders brough ...

US trade tariffs: US court ruling could benefit local exports

US trade tariffs: US court rul ...

PC Polls: EC awaits Govt. decision on electoral system

PC Polls: EC awaits Govt. deci ...

Fuel prices expected to remain stable: CPC

Fuel prices expected to remain ...

Two arrested Israelis to be deported

Two arrested Israelis to be de ...

Sapugaskanda Refinery proposal: Sinopec submits EOI amid delays on H’t ...

Sapugaskanda Refinery proposal ...

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