The Bribery Commission (CIABOC) is turning up the financial heat on suspects linked to the Rs. 120 million bribe scandal involving drug kingpin Nadun Chinthaka Wickramaratne, alias ‘Harak Kata’. Just hours after freezing bank accounts and luxury vehicles belonging to second suspect Rakitha Rajapakshe, state investigators told the court today that they are moving directly after the real estate and transport assets of his co-accused.
Appearing before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama, CIABOC prosecutors disclosed that formal steps are underway to freeze a luxury residence owned by primary suspect Charith Abeysinghe. At the same time, the state officially blocked all sales and transfers for two vehicles linked to the family of third suspect Waruna Handige Aruna Chathuranga.
This latest legal wave follows an aggressive financial lockdown against Rakitha Rajapakshe, son of former Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe. CIABOC officers served official notices freezing four of Rajapakshe’s primary bank accounts alongside multiple high-end vehicles, leaving the suspects with dwindling room to maneuver their assets.
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The proceedings mark a direct application of the Proceeds of Crime Act, No. 5 of 2025. The law gives investigators immediate power to freeze, trace, and confiscate suspect wealth long before a trial reaches its final verdict. CIABOC confirmed that full asset valuation reports will be submitted to the magistrate within 72 hours.
At the center of the case is a simple, staggering allegation: that the trio demanded and took Rs. 120 million from Harak Kata’s wife in exchange for leveraging political clout to alter the crime boss’s detention terms and security arrangements.
The difference in bail comes down to strict procedural boundaries applied by the Magistrate’s Court. Rakitha Rajapakshe and his co-accused were granted bail because the Magistrate decided they met the standard conditions: surrendering their passports, paying cash bail, and offering personal guarantees.
In contrast, high-profile politicians like Namal Rajapaksa were kept in remand custody after prosecutors convinced the court that releasing them posed a risk of witness tampering or interfering with broader, ongoing investigations. While CIABOC is appealing the decision to free Rakitha’s group, the magistrate ruled that their case did not meet the high threshold needed to keep them locked up before trial.
Though all three suspects are out on bail for now, CIABOC is actively challenging that freedom in the High Court while locking down their wealth on the ground. The Chief Magistrate ordered progress updates for December 8. Suspects might walk the streets for now, but their bank accounts, cars, and luxury roofs remain firmly under lock and key.
