Dementia in Defence of Aunt Daisy Forrest

Colombo, November 12 — The attorney representing Mrs. Daisy Forrest, aunt of Yoshitha Rajapaksa, informed the Colombo High Court that the indictment filed against her under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act was baseless, as she suffers from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and is therefore incapable of understanding the legal proceedings against her.

The court was told that the 98-year-old Mrs. Forrest is no longer mentally fit to comprehend the charges or to participate meaningfully in her defence. It was further revealed that she is unable to independently manage even her personal affairs.

This submission was made by President’s Counsel Anil Silva before High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga when the case was taken up. Silva informed the court that as far back as 2017, the Gangodawila District Court had appointed a guardian to manage her property based on a medical report submitted at that time.

Judge Ranatunga, however, questioned why this medical report was being presented only now, eight years later, and asked why such an important document had not been submitted earlier when the case was before the Magistrate’s Court.

No Document 

Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) confirmed to the court that no such document had been presented to the Magistrate’s Court.

Appearing for the prosecution, Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara acknowledged the defendant’s age and medical condition but noted that the High Court is not bound by a District Court order. He requested additional time to consider whether a new medical report should be called for to assess Mrs. Forrest’s current condition.

After reviewing the submissions, the High Court Judge ordered that the case be postponed to November 26, at which time the prosecution must state its position regarding the matter.

Both Yoshitha Rajapaksa and Daisy Forrest, the accused in this case, are currently out on bail and appeared in court yesterday.

The investigation began in 2016 concerning over Rs. 59 million held in Yoshitha Rajapaksa’s bank accounts. He had allegedly failed to provide a satisfactory explanation regarding the legitimate source of these funds. Investigations further revealed that part of the money had been placed as fixed deposits in a joint account held with Mrs. Forrest.

Mrs. Forrest was previously employed as a teacher, a nurse, and later served as a matron at St. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia.