CID obtains 2 court orders for investigation on Gotabaya

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has obtained two court orders for an investigation on the former Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

This was regarding an investigation launched on a complaint that Gotabaya Rajapaksa had violated the Citizenship Act, the Immigration and Emigration Act, and the Elections Act by engaging in political activities back during the 2005 Presidential election while holding US citizenship.

Accordingly, the Colombo Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne ordered the Controller of Immigration and Emigration and Assistant Commissioner of Elections of Hambantota to release documents necessary for the investigations.

CID officials informed the court that it has been revealed that Gotabaya Rajapaksa obtained dual citizenship when the Department of Immigration and Emigration came under the Ministry of Defense in 2005. However, when they had requested for the related documents, the relevant officials had informed that they did not possess them.

The investigation has been launched following a complaint lodged at the Inspector General of Police (IGP) by Prof. Chandraguptha Thenuwara and Gamini Viyangoda.

CID reports submitted to courts state that the complaint alleges that Rajapaksa obtained a new passport and a National Identity Card claiming his US citizenship had been revoked and that CID is carrying out further investigations on the matter.

In addition, further investigations are also carried out on the fact that Gotabaya Rajapaksa has not issued a formal Citizenship Certificate on the revoking of the dual citizenship by obtaining necessary information from institutions such as the Foreign Ministry and the American Consulate.