Was planning to marry Yoshitha and settle in Mount Lavinia - Yasara's full statement made in court

Ms. Yasara Abeynaike, former head of CSN channel, testifying on behalf of the prosecution in the case filed against Mr. Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, told Colombo High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga that she had a romantic relationship with Yoshitha Rajapaksa and that she had planned to marry him and move into the house belonging to Yoshitha's grandmother, Mrs. Daisy Forest, located on Mihindu Mawatha, Mount Lavinia, and had also spoken with an interior designer to carry out interior decoration work for that house.

Ms. Yasara Abeynaike further stated, testifying under the direction of Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, that although their romantic relationship lasted for about 4 years from 2009 to 2013 with the intention of marriage, it ended due to astrological incompatibility. The Attorney General has filed this case against Mr. Yoshitha Rajapaksa, accusing him of committing an offense under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act by illegally acquiring five plots of land worth over 73 million rupees.

The case is being heard before Colombo High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga. When the case was called, the accused, Mr. Yoshitha Rajapaksa, appeared in court. Ms. Yasara Abeynaike, former head of CSN channel, testifying under the direction of Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, who appeared for the prosecution, also stated the following.

I, who worked at ITN channel, later resigned and joined CSN channel as its head. When I was working at CSN channel, Yoshitha Rajapaksa was not working at CSN channel. However, he supported my work. There was a romantic relationship between me and Mr. Yoshitha Rajapaksa, who is accused in this case. That was around 2009. At that time, Yoshitha worked as a naval officer. Our romantic relationship started around 2009. We maintained the relationship until about 2013.

During the time we were in a relationship, we both went to see a house on Mihindu Mawatha, Mount Lavinia, belonging to Yoshitha's grandmother. We had planned to get married and move into that house. Therefore, we both spoke with an interior designer to carry out interior decoration work for that house.

During the time we were in a relationship, the house in front of our house was up for sale. My uncle, Mr. Wasantha Jayasuriya, had told Yoshitha about it. I don't know if he bought that house with the land or not. Although we maintained our romantic relationship from 2009 to 2013, our horoscopes...

Due to incompatibility, our romantic relationship ended around 2013. Testifying under the direction of Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, who appeared for the prosecution, Mr. Lushan Ratnayake stated that a plot of land belonging to him was purchased for 34 million rupees in the name of Mrs. Daisy Forest, Mr. Yoshitha Rajapaksa's grandmother.

I was residing with my wife in Sirimal Uyana, Mount Lavinia. While living there, after my wife fell ill, we decided to sell the house in Sirimal Uyana. We planned to sell the house in Sirimal Uyana and move to an annex in 'Royal Park'. Accordingly, we published advertisements to sell the house in Sirimal Uyana.

I told my friend, Mr. Wasantha Jayasuriya, that I was selling the house. He brought a buyer to purchase the house. He did not tell me who the buyer was. Although I had decided to sell at 1 million rupees per perch, the land had 34 and a half perches. After that, Wasantha Jayasuriya called me and said there was someone to buy the land. However, he did not tell me who the buyer was even then.

The deeds related to the sale of the land were signed at the Standard Chartered Bank in Rajagiriya. When the deeds were signed, the name mentioned as the buyer of the land on the deed was 'Daisy Forest'. We signed the deed after learning that the full amount had been deposited into the Standard Chartered Bank account. The full amount of the land's selling price, thirty-four million five hundred and forty thousand rupees, was deposited in the bank account. I don't know who deposited the money.

I sold the land on October 10, 2012. Even before advertisements were published for the sale of the land, Yasara, along with Mr. Yoshitha Rajapaksa, had come to the garage sale held at our house, where we sold items from the house. They both walked around our house, looked at everything, and left.

Testifying under the direction of Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, Mr. Wasantha Jayasuriya stated that the entire sum of over 34 million rupees required to purchase the house in Sirimal Uyana belonging to Mr. Lushan Ratnayake was sent in a travel bag to the Standard Chartered Bank in Rajagiriya. Yasara Abeynaike is my niece. She had exchanged rings with Mr. Yoshitha Rajapaksa with the intention of marriage. They were on the verge of getting married. During that time, one day when Yoshitha met me, I told him about the land in Sirimal Uyana belonging to Mr. Lushan Ratnayake.

He said he was willing to buy the land. Accordingly, I met Mr. Lushan Ratnayake and made the necessary arrangements to purchase the land. The deeds related to the purchase of the land were signed at the Standard Chartered Bank in Rajagiriya. On the day the deeds were signed, a person who looked like a security guard brought the entire amount required to purchase the land, in currency notes, in a travel bag to the Standard Chartered Bank in Rajagiriya.

The judge adjourned the further hearing of evidence in the case until July 17 and issued summons ordering the prosecution witnesses to appear in court on that day.