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.
