Mahinda Rajapaksa

Listed from published reports. Appearing here is not a finding of wrongdoing.

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Details

Role: President of Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2015; prime minister until May 2022
Family: Brother of Gotabaya and Basil Rajapaksa; father of Namal, Yoshitha and Rohitha
Appears on: The Rajapaksa family
Politicians and investigators
The LTTE war, 1983 to 2009
Disappearances and wartime killings
War accountability at the UN
Communal violence and state force, 2013 to 2019

Connections (26)

Namal Rajapaksa / Son of / Mahinda Rajapaksa
- AP: “The 38-year-old is the son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the nephew of the ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.”13 Sep 2024 · Associated Press · Sri Lankans' fury forced the powerful Rajapaksa clan out. Now its heir is running for president
Mahinda Rajapaksa / Brother of / Gotabaya Rajapaksa
- AP: Mahinda’s brother Gotabaya was elected president in 2019 and ousted in 2022 after an uprising over the economy.13 Sep 2024 · Associated Press · Sri Lankans' fury forced the powerful Rajapaksa clan out. Now its heir is running for president
Shiranthi Rajapaksa / Wife of / Mahinda Rajapaksa
- Identifies her as the former First Lady and wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.3 Feb 2026 · Ada Derana · Shiranthi Rajapaksa arrives at FCID
Mahinda Rajapaksa / Found to have violated public trust by / Supreme Court ruling on the economic crisis, November 2023
- The Supreme Court ruled 4 to 1 that Gotabaya, Mahinda and Basil Rajapaksa and other officials violated public trust through economic mismanagement between 2019 and 2022. They were ordered to pay legal costs only.15 Nov 2023 · Al Jazeera · Sri Lanka top court finds Rajapaksa brothers guilty of economic crisis
Mahinda Rajapaksa / Prime minister under, until May 2022 / Gotabaya Rajapaksa
- He resigned as prime minister on 9 May 2022 amid protests over the economic crisis, submitting his resignation to his brother, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Government supporters had attacked protesters hours earlier.9 May 2022 · NPR · The prime minister of Sri Lanka resigns after weeks of protests
Mahinda Rajapaksa / Vacated official residence under / Presidents' Entitlements (Repeal) Act, September 2025
- He and Shiranthi Rajapaksa left the Wijerama Road residence on 11 September 2025, the day after Parliament passed the Act. A party spokesman said he was expected to move to his private home in Hambantota.11 Sep 2025 · Ada Derana · Ex-President Mahinda vacates residence at Wijerama Road
Yoshitha Rajapaksa / Son of / Mahinda Rajapaksa
- Describes him as the second son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.27 Jan 2025 · Ada Derana · Yoshitha Rajapaksa granted bail
Rohitha Rajapaksa / Son of / Mahinda Rajapaksa
- Describes him as the son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.25 Jun 2026 · Ada Derana · Rohitha Rajapaksa leaves CCIB after recording statement
Shasheendra Rajapaksa / Nephew of / Mahinda Rajapaksa
- AFP describes him as a nephew of former presidents Mahinda and Gotabaya Rajapaksa.6 Aug 2025 · AFP (via The Sun, Malaysia) · Sri Lanka arrests Rajapaksa ex-minister for corruption over illegal claims
Sarath Fonseka / Lost 2010 election to; jailed, then freed by order of / Mahinda Rajapaksa
- He trailed Rajapaksa by 17 points in the 2010 presidential election, was arrested two weeks later and stripped of his rank. In May 2012 President Rajapaksa ordered his release; Fonseka’s wife said she had been told it would be unconditional.20 May 2012 · Al Jazeera · Sri Lanka to free jailed ex-army chief
Mahinda Rajapaksa / Resigned as prime minister hours after / Attack on protesters at Galle Face, 9 May 2022
- NPR: his resignation came hours after some of his supporters attacked peaceful protesters camped outside government offices.9 May 2022 · NPR · The prime minister of Sri Lanka resigns after weeks of protests
Sarana Gunawardena / Junior minister under / Mahinda Rajapaksa
- AFP: he served as a junior minister under Mahinda Rajapaksa, and was convicted on four charges, one of them financial misconduct, with four years on each for a total of 16 years.9 Jun 2026 · AFP (via The Peninsula) · Sri Lanka jails ex-minister in anti-graft drive
- Reports that after the sentencing on 9 June 2026 he was escorted to prison by prison authorities, and that his lawyers said he intended to appeal.9 Jun 2026 · Ada Derana · Colombo HC hands 16 year rigorous imprisonment on Sarana Gunawardena
- Reports that on 1 July 2026 he filed four appeals in the Court of Appeal against the 9 June judgment; it does not mention his custody or any bail.1 Jul 2026 · Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka) · Sarana Gunawardena files appeal against 16 years jail sentence
Mervyn Silva / Minister of Public Relations during presidency of / Mahinda Rajapaksa
- Identifies him as Minister of Public Relations in January 2013, when President Mahinda Rajapaksa accepted his resignation as the Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s chief organiser for the Kelaniya electorate.12 Jan 2013 · Daily FT · MR accepts Mervyn's quit notice from Kelaniya job
Janaka Tissa Kuttiarachchi / Pledged support to, December 2014 / Mahinda Rajapaksa
- Then a United National Party member of the Uva Provincial Council and the party’s Mahiyanganaya organiser, he met President Mahinda Rajapaksa on 15 December 2014 and committed himself to Rajapaksa’s victory in the coming presidential election.15 Dec 2014 · Ada Derana · Tissa Kuttiarachchi pledges support to Rajapaksa
Nishantha Wickramasinghe / Brother-in-law of / Mahinda Rajapaksa
- AFP describes him as Mahinda Rajapaksa’s brother-in-law, charged over losses at SriLankan Airlines.6 Aug 2025 · AFP (via The Sun, Malaysia) · Sri Lanka arrests Rajapaksa ex-minister for corruption over illegal claims
Sil cloth distribution case / Alleged to have spent funds on the 2015 campaign of / Mahinda RajapaksaAllegation
- The prosecution alleged that the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission spent Rs. 600 million distributing sil cloth as part of the former president’s 2015 election campaign, and that the money was sent to a bank account maintained by the Secretary to the President.7 Sep 2017 · Ada Derana · Lalith Weeratunga and Anusha Palpita found guilty
- The Court of Appeal acquitted both accused on 19 November 2020.19 Nov 2020 · Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka) · Court of Appeal acquits Lalith Weerathunga & Anusha Palpilta
Nimal Lanza / Visited at his Negombo home by, October 2011 / Mahinda Rajapaksa
- The day after a Special Task Force raid on his residence, President Mahinda Rajapaksa flew to Negombo with Basil Rajapaksa and visited Lanza, then a Western Provincial Council minister, at his home. The report calls Lanza a staunch backer of Basil Rajapaksa in the Gampaha District.23 Oct 2011 · The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka) · Breakdown in law and order, politicisation of police
Aruna Widanagamage (Meegasare Kajja) / Said in an interview that he and others were loyal to relatives of / Mahinda RajapaksaAllegation
- Tamil Guardian reports that in an interview a year before his death he said a relative of Mahinda Rajapaksa, Kapila Dissanayake, asked him to protect his family during the May 2022 protests, and that “we were loyal to them”. He rejected the description of himself as a Rajapaksa henchman and denied direct involvement in killings during the unrest. The article carries no response from Mahinda Rajapaksa.28 Feb 2025 · Tamil Guardian · Sri Lanka's political-criminal underworld: The murder of Aruna Vidanagamage and the Rajapaksa connection
Sampath Manamperi / Once assigned to the security detail of, according to News First / Mahinda Rajapaksa
- News First says he once served as a police VIP security officer and was assigned to the security detail of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The article carries no response from Mahinda Rajapaksa.30 Sep 2025 · News 1st · Ex-SLPP Candidate Manamperi Admits Supplying Guns For Kajja’s Murder
Mahinda Rajapaksa / Presided over the cabinet that approved / Government ends the ceasefire, January 2008
- The cabinet, presided over by President Mahinda Rajapakse, approved the withdrawal on the Prime Minister’s proposal.6 Jan 2008 · Tamil Guardian · Sri Lanka tears up 2002 ceasefire
Mahinda Rajapaksa / Called the capture an “unparalleled victory” / Fall of Kilinochchi, January 2009
- President Mahinda Rajapakse called the capture an “unparalleled victory”.2 Jan 2009 · Al Jazeera · Sri Lanka troops 'capture' LTTE HQ
Mahinda Rajapaksa / As president and commander-in-chief, received the declaration / End of the war, May 2009
- The defence secretary told President Mahinda Rajapakse, who is also commander-in-chief, that the war had ended.19 May 2009 · Al Jazeera · Sri Lanka rebel chief 'killed'
Mahinda Rajapaksa / Appointed as a government minister, 2009 / Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan (Colonel Karuna Amman)
- Then-president Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed him a government minister in 2009.23 Jun 2020 · Human Rights Watch · Sri Lanka Investigates Rebel Leader Turned Politician
Mahinda Rajapaksa / Set up, July 2007 / Presidential Commission of Inquiry into 16 major human rights cases
- Reports that then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa set up a Presidential Commission of Inquiry in July 2007 covering 16 major rights cases, including this one.1 Aug 2019 · Human Rights Watch · Sri Lanka: No Progress in Prosecuting Aid Worker Massacre
Mahinda Rajapaksa / Has denied that government forces caused civilian casualties / UN Panel of Experts report, 25 April 2011
- Human Rights Watch reports that officials, including President Rajapaksa, have denied that government forces caused civilian casualties.25 Apr 2011 · Human Rights Watch · Sri Lanka: UN Chief Should Establish International Inquiry
Mahinda Rajapaksa / Called the accusations against his party politically motivated / Anti-Muslim violence in Kandy district, March 2018
- Reuters reports that the former president called the accusations politically motivated.25 Mar 2018 · Reuters (via Al Jazeera) · CCTV shows Sri Lankan police aid anti-Muslim riots