Sri Lanka arrests Rajapaksa party chief over alleged death threat
Sri Lanka Podujana Party secretary-general Sagara Kariyawasam was arrested after warning the country's police chief that he could be killed if he continued to act in a partisan manner.
Former Sri Lankan party chief Sagara Kariyawasam was arrested on Monday for allegedly threatening police chief Priyantha Weerasooriya, according to officers. Kariyawasam, General-Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Party (SLPP), was taken into custody, the latest arrest involving associates of the powerful Rajapaksa political dynasty.
The leftist government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, which took office in September 2024, vowed to combat corruption. Kariyawasam warned Weerasooriya that he could be killed if he remained partisan, a police official confirmed. Kariyawasam provided a statement after his arrest and will be presented to a magistrate. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, 80, faces allegations of receiving kickbacks from Airbus on a scrapped aircraft deal.
His three children, wife, two brothers, and several nephews and nieces are also charged with money-laundering and stealing state funds.
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Also reported by 2 other outlets
- Sri Lanka arrests Rajapaksa party chief over alleged death threat brecorder.com
- Sri Lanka arrests Rajapaksa party chief over alleged death threat freemalaysiatoday.com
