Gotabaya Rajapaksa Quizzed Over MiG Deal As Rajapaksa Family Faces Corruption Probes

Sri Lanka’s former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa was questioned for about five hours on September 11 over alleged financial irregularities in the 2006 purchase and refurbishment of MiG fighter aircraft for the Sri Lanka Air Force. Rajapaksa appeared before the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) in Colombo after being summoned to record a statement.

Rajapaksa, 77, was Defence Secretary when Sri Lanka entered the controversial MiG aircraft deal with Ukraine in 2006. The transaction involved the purchase of four MiG 27 aircraft and the refurbishment of four others. At the time, officials including Rajapaksa described the acquisition as a government to government transaction involving Ukraine’s state owned Ukrinmash.

However, subsequent investigations alleged that millions of dollars paid by the Sri Lankan government were routed through Bellimissa Holdings, an intermediary company registered in the British Virgin Islands. FCID investigators later told court that only part of the payment reached the Ukrainian state entity and that nearly US$7 million was allegedly misappropriated. Investigators also alleged that the agreement dated July 26, 2006, was fraudulent.

Rajapaksa’s questioning came a day after former Air Force Commander Roshan Goonetileke appeared before the FCID over the same case. Goonetileke, who was also questioned by the FCID in 2016, gave a statement lasting more than five hours on September 10. Authorities are expected to question other individuals connected to the long running investigation.

The case has previously focused on Udayanga Weeratunga, Rajapaksa’s cousin and Sri Lanka’s former ambassador to Russia, who was arrested and later extradited to Sri Lanka in connection with the investigation. His alleged links to the transaction have been examined for years.

The latest development comes as Sri Lankan authorities intensify corruption investigations involving the Rajapaksa family. On September 4, Namal Rajapaksa, the son of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya’s nephew, was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption over alleged payments linked to a 2013 SriLankan Airlines Airbus deal.

Namal, 40, was questioned for more than five hours before his arrest and was remanded until September 18. Investigators allege that he benefited from US$800,000 linked to the aircraft transaction, with the money allegedly routed through Singapore bank accounts. Namal and his family have rejected corruption allegations and described the cases as politically motivated.

Namal remains in custody, with prison authorities saying security around his cell was strengthened and that he was allowed home cooked food and three visitors a day.