The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has arrested the former Commander of the Navy, Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda.
The arrest is tied to a high-profile investigation into the controversial recruitment of Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, as an executive officer in the Sri Lanka Navy. Investigators allege that standard recruitment qualifications were intentionally altered to facilitate his entry, and that substantial government funds were subsequently misused to finance his elite training at the Britannia Royal Naval College (Royal Naval Academy) in the United Kingdom.
Admiral Karannagoda had previously been summoned to appear before the Bribery Commission on June 16 to provide a statement regarding his role in the recruitment and placement process. However, he failed to show up on that date, claiming at the time that he had not formally received the summons letter.
The ongoing probe has already seen significant legal action. On June 17, Yoshitha Rajapaksa himself was arrested by CIABOC over the same incident. Following his production before the court, Rajapaksa was granted bail and released on three personal sureties valued at Rs. 5 million each.
