Local media reports have revealed allegations that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and a group of associates received a bribe of US$5 million in connection with the sale of land belonging to the Army Headquarters in the Galle Face area to the Shangri-La hotel chain. The alleged payment is said to have been made during the transaction involving the high-value Colombo waterfront property.
The report bases its claims on statements attributed to Sajin Vass Gunawardena, described as a close associate of the Rajapaksa political circle. According to the material cited in the report, Gunawardena referred to an affidavit allegedly given to the Financial Crimes Investigation Division of the Police by Chidambaram on October 28, 2015. The affidavit is said to relate to financial transactions connected to the land sale.
According to the same reporting, Gunawardena stated that the alleged bribe money was subsequently used for investments linked to two sons of the Rajapaksa family. These investments are reported to include the purchase of the “Tangalle Bay” hotel in the southern coastal area of Tangalle, as well as activities associated with the CSN media network. The report does not provide additional documentary evidence beyond the cited statements and referenced affidavit.
The report further claims that the funds were allegedly laundered through a well-known private financial institution when brought into the country. No specific institution has been named in the material cited, and the details of the financial transfers are not independently verified within the information provided.
It is also stated that the affidavit attributed to the Singaporean businessman was recorded in Singapore in the presence of officials from the Financial Crimes Investigation Division, including then head Financial Crimes Investigation Division Ravi Waidyalankara and senior officers. The circumstances under which the affidavit was obtained and its current evidentiary status have not been independently confirmed in the report.
Separately, the report notes that an audio recording circulating on social media allegedly captures a telephone conversation between Gunawardena and Lohan Ratwatte. In the recording, Gunawardena is heard stating that he had received death threats from members of the Rajapaksa family, according to claims referenced in the circulating material. The authenticity of the audio has not been independently verified within the information provided.
The developments come as Citizens’ Power Organization Against Bribery and Corruption Chairman Jamuni Kamantha Thushara is reportedly preparing to file a complaint with the Commission for Investigation of Bribery or Corruption on the matter. The complaint, according to the report, is expected to be submitted on the basis of the allegations and related materials referenced in the ongoing disclosures.
The land transaction at the center of the allegations involves property previously belonging to the Army Headquarters area at Galle Face, which was later developed into a high-profile commercial site in Colombo through a deal with Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts. The report does not provide additional official responses from the individuals or institutions named in the allegations.
