Namal says he will cooperate with any investigation

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National Organiser and Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa said he is prepared to cooperate with any investigation summoned by authorities, accusing the government of using law enforcement agencies to conceal its own failures.

Speaking to journalists after giving a statement to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on yesterday, Rajapaksa said questions raised during the inquiry focused on photographs taken recently and individuals who had met him. He rejected allegations that he had leaked intelligence information regarding two containers allegedly containing narcotics.

“I clearly said that although there was an intelligence report about drugs in two containers, I was not the one who leaked it. At that time, we were not in government,” he said, adding that 323 containers had been released during a previous administration. “There is no point in questioning us to cover up the mistakes of this government.”

Rajapaksa said investigators questioned him about attending an Advanced Level examination seminar and a political party meeting, suggesting wrongdoing. “They are showing me pictures of these events and asking whether this is a scam,” he said, dismissing the claims as baseless.

Referring to a past court verdict in the murder case of Premawathi Manamperi, Rajapaksa said the ruling had established that officials cannot justify wrongdoing by claiming they merely followed orders. He urged law enforcement officials to act according to conscience and law.

While stating that organised crime and drug trafficking must be eradicated, Rajapaksa alleged that current efforts were selectively enforced. “If organised crime is stopped to protect criminal groups nurtured by the government, then questioning the opposition is meaningless,” he said.

He further claimed that the government was attempting to intimidate the opposition by summoning them to the CID and the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID). “You can bring us here with our mother, father, even the dog on a ninety-pound chain, but you cannot silence us,” he said.

Rajapaksa also criticised the government over a range of issues, including alleged corruption in coal procurement, education reforms, and promises of employment to graduates. He accused the administration of politicising public institutions and attempting to damage the reputation of the police to mask its own incompetence.

“I answered every question they asked,” he said, adding that key questions remain unanswered, including responsibility for drug-related container releases and alleged illicit operations. “There is still time until 2029, but the government must deliver what it promised to the people this year.”

Reaffirming his confidence in the judiciary, Rajapaksa claimed the government was attempting to bring the judicial system under political control but said he still believed it remained independent.

He also challenged the government to substantiate past allegations of overseas assets and luxury properties linked to political figures, stating that any illegally acquired wealth should be confiscated.