Former parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa, who recently gave a statement to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) regarding the assets of former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, declared that he is still very much active in politics. “Sometimes I go for singles, and at times, I hit sixes and fours over the boundary,” he said, metaphorically referring to his political moves.
He added that the information revealed about Basil Rajapaksa’s assets is akin to hitting a “sixer.” The ongoing investigation stems from allegations made by Weerawansa about possible money laundering involving Rajapaksa.
Weerawansa claimed that Basil Rajapaksa never held employment in the United States and questioned how he managed to amass millions of dollars’ worth of assets, implying the wealth was acquired in Sri Lanka.
The former parliamentarian, who himself is under investigation for accumulating significant wealth, stated that he is willing to disclose further details about Rajapaksa’s financial dealings if the current government conducts credible investigations.
Basil Rajapaksa, often referred to as “Mr. 10 Percent” due to alleged involvement in questionable deals, has faced numerous allegations over the years, though none have been conclusively proven.
In a notable case, the Gampaha High Court acquitted Basil Rajapaksa and Thirukumar Nadesan of charges related to the alleged misappropriation of public funds in connection with the Malwana property. However, during his election campaign, current President Anura Kumara Dissanayake pledged to reinvestigate the case.
Basil Rajapaksa was also investigated for an alleged 70-million-rupee ($530,000; £353,000) fraud linked to a public housing construction scheme.
