Yoshitha Rajapaksa, 38, son of former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa, was arrested on June 17 on corruption charges related to the misuse of state funds for overseas naval training [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Authorities accuse him of rising through naval ranks despite lacking proper qualifications and attending a government-funded officer course at Britain’s prestigious Dartmouth naval college [1, 2, 3, 5].
Yoshitha had previously faced two money laundering accusations and was under a foreign travel ban, remaining out on bail until this arrest [1, 3, 2]. After the arrest, he was brought before the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court and granted bail again [2, 5]. The Bribery Commission said, "He was arrested on a charge of aiding and abetting, in connection with his recruitment without the minimum qualifications, and subsequently using state funds for overseas training" [1].
Yoshitha’s entry to the navy reportedly began in 2006 when he allegedly joined without following legal procedures [2, 5]. His father, Mahinda Rajapaksa, was president from 2005 to 2015, during which time Yoshitha acquired property and a television network now under investigation for unexplained income sources [1].
Mahinda’s younger brother and former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who served from 2019 to 2022, was ousted amid a 2022 economic crisis. Gotabaya was also placed under a foreign travel ban in early June 2026 and sought court protection against arrest related to the 2019 Easter Sunday bombing investigation [1, 2].
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, elected in 2024, has promised crackdowns on corruption, leading to renewed momentum in cases involving the Rajapaksa family [1].
