Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)
9
Legal matters
2
Investigations
0
Charges pending
4
Acquitted / dismissed
Next in court
27 November 2026
Lalith Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganandan disappearance - witness proceedingsJaffna Magistrate's Court (proceeding); Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court (video-link testimony venue)
+1 more upcoming hearing — see the Cases tab
Gotabaya Rajapaksa's case has an unclear or disputed status in public reporting. Lalith Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganandan, activists with the Frontline Socialist Party, disappeared in Jaffna on 9 Dec 2011 while organising a press conference; Rajapaksa was Defence Secretary at the time. Litigation has focused on compelling him to give evidence about the disappearances, not on prosecuting him. The Jaffna Magistrate's Court ordered him to give evidence and, after he sought to testify from outside Jaffna citing security concerns, granted permission for him to testify by video link, with an appearance before the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court set for 29 Sep 2026. Public reporting reviewed for this record does not show that Rajapaksa has been criminally charged in this matter. Witness / summoned-to-testify status only - keep outside any list of charges against Rajapaksa unless the procedural posture changes. Next scheduled hearing: 27 November 2026.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa legal timeline
Next Step Pending
Not yet scheduled
Court: Fort Magistrate's Court
- 6 January 2027Investigation into alleged irregularitie…
Next Hearing
The Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court is due to recall the case, concerning suspect Udayanga Weeratunga, following the Attorney General's advice.
Court: Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court
Sources (1)
- 27 November 2026Lalith Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganandan d…
Next Hearing
The matter is scheduled to return to court on 2026-11-27 for further recording of evidence.
Court: Jaffna Magistrate's Court
Sources (1)
- 29 September 2026Lalith Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganandan d…
Hearing
Gotabaya Rajapaksa gave evidence as a witness by video link from the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court to the Jaffna Magistrate's Court (Magistrate S. Lenin Kumar), accompanied by two lawyers. Further recording of evidence was fixed for 27 November 2026. He is a witness in these proceedings, not an accused.
Court: Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court
- 22 September 2026Easter Sunday attacks investigation - wr…
Hearing
Reporting had scheduled the matter for 2026-09-22, but the current dataset does not establish the outcome of that date.
Court: Court of Appeal
Sources (2)
- 15 September 2026Investigation into alleged irregularitie…
Questioned
Former Air Force Commander Air Chief Marshal Donald Perera recorded a statement to the FCID over the MiG procurement, lasting nearly six hours. He was not reported arrested or charged.
Sources (1)
- 11 September 2026Investigation into alleged irregularitie…
Questioned
Rajapaksa attended the FCID and recorded a statement about the 2006 MiG aircraft procurement after being summoned. No arrest or charge was reported that day.
Sources (2)
- 10 September 2026Investigation into alleged irregularitie…
Questioned
Former Air Force Commander Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetileke recorded a statement to the FCID over the MiG procurement, lasting more than five hours. He was not reported arrested or charged.
Sources (1)
- 2 September 2026Investigation into alleged irregularitie…
Hearing
Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena recalled the case, concerning suspect Udayanga Weeratunga, for 6 January 2027 after investigators said the matter had been referred to the Attorney General for advice. The court also temporarily lifted Weeratunga's foreign travel ban until that date, at his lawyer's request. Rajapaksa was not a party to this hearing.
Court: Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court
Sources (1)
- 13 May 2026Investigation into alleged irregularitie…
Hearing
At a hearing concerning suspect Udayanga Weeratunga, the CID told the Fort Magistrate's Court that three rounds of discussions had taken place with the Attorney General regarding the case. The matter was adjourned to 2 September 2026. Rajapaksa was not a party to this hearing.
Court: Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court
Sources (1)
- 27 February 2020Wickrematunge v. Rajapaksa (United State…
Case Dismissed
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals granted an agreed request to vacate the District Court's immunity ruling and dismissed the appeal without prejudice, reflecting Rajapaksa's head-of-state immunity after becoming President; this produced no merits finding for or against him.
Court: US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- 21 November 2019D. A. Rajapaksa memorial and museum case
Discharged
The Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar released Rajapaksa from all indictments in the case after he became President, citing presidential immunity under Article 35; his travel ban was lifted and his passport ordered released.
Court: Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar
Sources (2)
- 22 October 2019Wickrematunge v. Rajapaksa (United State…
Case Dismissed
The US District Court for the Central District of California dismissed Wickrematunge's civil suit against Rajapaksa on common-law foreign-official-immunity grounds.
Court: US District Court for the Central District of California
Sources (2)
- 4 October 2019Citizenship and presidential-eligibility…
Case Dismissed
The Court of Appeal unanimously dismissed the petition challenging Rajapaksa's citizenship and presidential eligibility, clearing him to contest the November 2019 presidential election.
Court: Court of Appeal
Sources (2)
- 23 September 2019Avant Garde floating armoury case
Discharged
The Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court discharged Rajapaksa and seven other accused from the Bribery Commission's Avant Garde floating-armoury prosecution, following a Court of Appeal ruling directing the discharge.
Court: Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court
Sources (2)
- 24 August 2018D. A. Rajapaksa memorial and museum case
Indicted
The Attorney General filed an indictment against Rajapaksa and six others over the D. A. Rajapaksa memorial and museum construction.
Court: Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar
Sources (1)
- 20 May 2015Investigation into alleged irregularitie…
Questioned
Rajapaksa attended the FCID and was questioned about the MiG-27 procurement (and separately about a Lanka Hospitals share matter). This was his first reported questioning over the MiG deal, over a decade before his 2026 statement.
Sources (1)
Gotabaya Rajapaksa court cases
9
Cases Total
2
Under Investigation
4
Case Dismissed
2
Status Unclear
Investigation into alleged irregularities in the 2006 MiG aircraft procurement
The Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) is investigating allegations that state funds paid for the 2006 purchase and refurbishment of MiG-27 aircraft for the Sri Lanka Air Force were routed through Bellimissa Holdings, a British Virgin Islands company named in the transaction as the 'designated party', rather than paid in full to the Ukrainian state supplier Ukrinmash. FCID reporting from 2018 put the underlying Ukrainian-side agreements at US$7.833 million against US$15.665 million paid to Bellimissa, and calculated a resulting state loss of US$6.831 million; a 2020 Fort Magistrate's Court hearing separately described the apparent loss, in rounded terms, as about US$7 million. Rajapaksa was Secretary to the Ministry of Defence when the procurement occurred; he was first questioned by the FCID over the deal on 20 May 2015 and gave a further statement on 11 September 2026. No arrest, charge, or indictment against him has been reported. The FCID's central suspect, former Ambassador Udayanga Weeratunga, has been under investigation since 2016 and was arrested, remanded, and later released on bail in 2020; the case against him remains active before the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court, most recently referred to the Attorney General for advice. See the Case Story tab for the full financial trail and Weeratunga's procedural history.
What’s happened
On 2 September 2026, the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court recalled the case for 6 January 2027 after investigators said the matter had been referred to the Attorney General for advice; Weeratunga's foreign travel ban was temporarily lifted until that date. That hearing followed an earlier one on 13 May 2026, at which the CID told the court three rounds of discussions had taken place with the AG. In the same week as Rajapaksa's 11 September 2026 statement, former Air Force Commanders Roshan Goonetileke (10 September, over five hours) and Donald Perera (15 September, nearly six hours) also recorded FCID statements. In December 2024, the US State Department designated Weeratunga and his immediate family under Section 7031(c) for corruption connected to the MiG procurement — an administrative visa sanction, not a Sri Lankan criminal conviction. None of the alleged loss figures below has been established by a final court judgment against Rajapaksa or anyone else.
- Court
- Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court
- Next hearing / due
- 6 January 2027
Economic crisis fundamental rights case (SC FR 195 & 212/2022)
On 14 Nov 2023 the Supreme Court, by a 4-1 majority, held that Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa and several senior economic officials breached the public trust doctrine and violated the petitioners' right to equal protection under Article 12(1) of the Constitution, through cumulative decisions and omissions - including large tax cuts, delayed corrective action, mismanagement of foreign reserves and debt, and failure to seek timely external assistance - that contributed to Sri Lanka's 2019-2022 economic crisis. The fundamental-rights petition was filed by Transparency International Sri Lanka and co-petitioners in Jun 2022. This is a constitutional/fundamental-rights judgment, not a criminal prosecution: the Court did not convict Rajapaksa of a criminal offence and imposed no custodial sentence, only costs.
What’s happened
This is the strongest proven adverse legal finding against Rajapaksa on record. The accurate label is a finding of constitutional responsibility / fundamental-rights violation - it must never be described as a criminal conviction, and words like 'convicted', 'guilty', 'sentenced' or 'imprisoned' misstate this proceeding.
- Court
- Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
- Next hearing / due
- No upcoming hearing announced
D. A. Rajapaksa memorial and museum case
Prosecutors alleged that Rs. 33.9 million in state resources was misappropriated for construction of the D. A. Rajapaksa memorial and museum at Medamulana. Rajapaksa and six others were indicted before the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar in Aug 2018. After he became President in Nov 2019, the Attorney General released him from the indictment citing presidential immunity under Article 35 of the Constitution; the Court lifted his travel ban and ordered his passport released. Contemporary reports described the outcome as an acquittal, but the operative basis was presidential immunity, not a trial verdict on the evidence.
What’s happened
Concluded as to Rajapaksa on 21 Nov 2019 on immunity grounds, not a merits acquittal after a completed trial. Remaining co-accused were released later after the prosecution's position changed; their outcomes do not retroactively create a merits judgment for or against Rajapaksa.
- Court
- Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar
- Next hearing / due
- No upcoming hearing announced
Avant Garde floating armoury case
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption prosecuted Rajapaksa and seven others over an alleged loss of approximately Rs. 11.4 billion to the government connected with Avant Garde Maritime Services' operation of floating armouries and approvals granted while he was Defence Secretary. On 23 Sep 2019, following a Court of Appeal ruling, the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court discharged Rajapaksa and the other accused. A discharge following a defective or invalid initiation of prosecution is not equivalent to a trial acquittal on the evidence.
- Court
- Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court
- Next hearing / due
- No upcoming hearing announced
Sources (2)
Citizenship and presidential-eligibility writ challenge
Civil society petitioners Gamini Viyangoda and Chandraguptha Thenuwara sought a Court of Appeal writ challenging the validity of Rajapaksa's dual/Sri Lankan citizenship documentation, and consequently his eligibility to contest the 2019 presidential election, alleging irregularities in how his citizenship was reinstated in 2005. On 4 Oct 2019 a three-judge Court of Appeal bench unanimously dismissed the petition as without merit, holding that then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa had constitutional authority to sign his dual-citizenship certificate in Nov 2005. This was public-law/eligibility litigation, not a criminal prosecution.
- Court
- Court of Appeal
- Next hearing / due
- No upcoming hearing announced
Wickrematunge v. Rajapaksa (United States civil action)
Ahimsa Wickrematunge filed a civil action in the US District Court for the Central District of California alleging Rajapaksa was responsible for the 2009 torture and extrajudicial killing of her father, journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge. Rajapaksa denied the allegations. In Oct 2019 the District Court dismissed the action on common-law foreign-official-immunity grounds, holding the alleged acts were undertaken in his official capacity as Defence Secretary. On 27 Feb 2020, after Rajapaksa became President, the Ninth Circuit granted an agreed request to vacate that judgment and dismiss the appeal without prejudice, because a sitting head of state has immunity from US civil suit. No US court ever reached the merits of the allegations, for or against Rajapaksa.
What’s happened
A civil claim, not a criminal case; it produced no finding on the truth of the underlying allegations, for or against Rajapaksa.
- Court
- US District Court for the Central District of California; US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- Next hearing / due
- No upcoming hearing announced
Sources (4)
Lasantha Wickrematunge murder investigation (Sri Lanka)
The domestic criminal investigation into the 2009 murder of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge has continued through changing prosecutorial decisions and renewed inquiries. On 3 Jun 2026 the Fort Magistrate's Court barred Rajapaksa and two others - Col. Mohamed Ansar and former intelligence officer Premananda Udalagama - from foreign travel in connection with the investigation. Public reporting reviewed for this record does not establish that Rajapaksa has been indicted for the murder; he should be treated as under investigation, not as charged, unless an indictment or official court record confirms that step.
What’s happened
Travel restriction reported current as of a Sep 2026 Human Rights Watch report; the domestic investigation has not produced a charge against Rajapaksa as of the verification date. This is a separate proceeding from the concluded US civil action (see gotabaya-rajapaksa-wickrematunge-us-civil).
- Court
- Fort Magistrate's Court
- Next hearing / due
- Next hearing not confirmed
Lalith Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganandan disappearance - witness proceedings
Lalith Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganandan, activists with the Frontline Socialist Party, disappeared in Jaffna on 9 Dec 2011 while organising a press conference; Rajapaksa was Defence Secretary at the time. Litigation has focused on compelling him to give evidence about the disappearances, not on prosecuting him. The Jaffna Magistrate's Court ordered him to give evidence and, after he sought to testify from outside Jaffna citing security concerns, granted permission for him to testify by video link, with an appearance before the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court set for 29 Sep 2026. Public reporting reviewed for this record does not show that Rajapaksa has been criminally charged in this matter.
What’s happened
Witness / summoned-to-testify status only - keep outside any list of charges against Rajapaksa unless the procedural posture changes.
- Court
- Jaffna Magistrate's Court (proceeding); Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court (video-link testimony venue)
- Next hearing / due
- 27 November 2026
Easter Sunday attacks investigation - writ to prevent arrest
Investigations into the 21 Apr 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which killed over 260 people, intensified in 2026, including the arrest of former State Intelligence Service chief Suresh Sallay. Rajapaksa, who was Defence Secretary at the time of the attacks, filed a Court of Appeal writ petition through lawyer Sanath Wijewardene seeking an order preventing his arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in connection with the investigation, naming the IGP, the CID Director and a CID officer as respondents. The Court of Appeal is scheduled to rule on 22 Sep 2026 on whether the petition may proceed and on an interim order against arrest pending a final judgment. Allegations connecting Rajapaksa to the attacks are contested and unproven; filing this protective litigation does not itself establish that an arrest is lawful, imminent, or evidentially supported.
What’s happened
Pending as of the verification date; the Court of Appeal's 22 Sep 2026 ruling is the next development to check.
- Court
- Court of Appeal
- Next hearing / due
- Next hearing not confirmed
Gotabaya Rajapaksa political career
Ministerial positions
President of Sri Lanka
2019–2022
Other political positions
Secretary to the Ministry of Defence
2005–2015
Gotabaya Rajapaksa party history
A career military officer and civil servant (Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, 2005-2015) with no prior formal party record found. He was named the SLPP's presidential candidate on 11 Aug 2019 and became a party member in that context; this is his only formal party-membership record and remains his last contested party. No subsequent party change has been reported.