Sri Lanka’s former president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son Yoshitha faces travel restrictions because of money laundering arrest charges in his country. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s promise to tackle corruption brought about the country’s current drive to accelerate pending legal proceedings.
The former naval officer Yoshitha Rajapaksa came under prosecution for failing to prove how the money he used to acquire real estate emerged during his father’s time as president between 2005 and 2015. Local authorities held him for two days before setting his bail at 100 million rupees ($344,000). Yoshitha defended his money by stating it derived from sales of family gems although his grand-aunt failed to confirm their provenance.
A criminal investigation previously detained Yoshitha in 2016 after he bought a television network due to suspected money laundering activities. Continuing investigative charges of money laundering are currently awaiting resolution for Namal – the older brother of Rajapaksa who now serves as a member of parliament. 
The Rajapaksa clan exerted extensive political power until legal corruption accusations against the family dragged through multiple stagnant proceedings during years of delayed resolution. Criminal investigations capabilities under President Dissanayake have received substantial funding enhancements for quicker criminal prosecutions across the country.
The public demand for resolving postponed cases drives these actions which constitutes neither a political hunt nor a witch hunt according to cabinet spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa.
The Rajapaksa leadership ended when Gotabaya Rajapaksa became president in 2022 until his removal through political upheaval during the economic challenges. Military procurement corruption charges stand as allegations against him.
Sri Lanka’s struggle to deal with past military affairs depends heavily on governmental corruption reforms to regain public confidence.
