COLOMBO: Sri Lankan authorities arrested the son of a former justice minister on Thursday for allegedly accepting a bribe to secure the release of a suspected drug kingpin extradited from Madagascar.
Rakitha Rajapakshe was taken into custody by the main anti-graft body for negotiating a 500 million rupee ($1.5 million) bribe to free the drug suspect, who was brought back in 2023 with the help of Interpol.
Officials said the transaction took place when Rakitha's father, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, was minister of justice and prison reforms.
The release was not carried out, as the government of the time lost the 2024 elections.
By then, however, Rajapakshe had taken 120 million rupees ($350,000) of the bribe money, the Bribery Commission said in a statement.
The drug suspect, Nadun Chinthaka, also known as Harak Kata, is described by police as one of the most dangerous drug dealers, heading an underworld criminal network.
He is currently facing prosecution and remains in judicial custody.
Rajapakshe is the latest high-profile individual to be arrested in connection with corruption, since leftist President Anura Kumara Dissanayake came to power in September 2024.
Rajapakshe is not related to the once-powerful Rajapaksa political dynasty, which dominated Sri Lankan politics from 2005 to 2022 several of whose members are facing prosecution over allegations of money laundering and abuse of power.
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