Former Navy Commander, Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda, was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) after being summoned to record a statement regarding the alleged recruitment of Yoshitha Rajapaksa into the Sri Lanka Navy without the required qualifications.
The Bribery Commission stated that corruption charges have been levelled against him in relation to the recruitment of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son Yoshitha Rajapaksa as a Cadet Officer in the executive branch of the Sri Lanka Navy in 2006, despite allegedly not meeting the required qualifications, and for facilitating his participation in a training course at the Britannia Royal Naval College in the United Kingdom using state funds, in deviation from established procedures at the time.
The commission further stated that the former Navy Commander was arrested by investigative officers of the CIABOC at around 10:05 a.m. today (03) within the commission premises after recording a statement.
It was also stated that the suspect is scheduled to be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.
On June 17, 2026, Yoshitha Rajapaksa was arrested and subsequently granted bail by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.
He was released on three personal sureties of Rs. 5 million each, while the Magistrate also imposed a foreign travel ban on the accused.
Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the second son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was arrested on June 17 after arriving at the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) to record a statement in connection with an ongoing investigation into his admission to the Sri Lanka Navy and training at the Britannia Royal Naval College in the United Kingdom.
The Commission stated that he was arrested on charges of aiding and abetting corruption related to the incident.
According to the CIABOC, the arrest was linked to an investigation into the 2006 recruitment of Cadet Officers to the executive branch of the Sri Lanka Navy. It is alleged that individuals were recruited without meeting the required qualifications and that state funds were utilized outside established procedures to facilitate training at the Britannia Royal Naval College in the United Kingdom.
He was subsequently produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court by the Bribery Commission following his arrest and was released on bail.
