-By An Investigative Journalist
(Lanka-e-News -28.March.2025, 11.00 PM) Sri Lanka has seen its fair share of political drama, but few can rival the sheer audacity of Wimal Weerawansa—a man who seemingly mistook the Ministry’s vehicle fleet for a private family car dealership.
During his tenure as a minister, Weerawansa generously distributed government vehicles like wedding favors, ensuring his family, friends, and even a few surprise guests rode in style—on the taxpayers’ dime. Now, as he rallies the public against UK sanctions on alleged human rights abusers, one must ask: is this an April Fool’s joke, or does he genuinely believe he's the hero Sri Lanka needs?
A peek into the vehicle registry reveals that Weerawansa’s relatives didn’t just receive a single government car—they practically ran a fleet. His sister’s son, Rhythm Vimukthi Weerawansa, was given a car, as were his other nephews, brothers-in-law, and even his younger sister, Nilanthi Weerawansa—who, by all accounts, was a full-time home cook but somehow qualified for official transport.
But why stop at family when you can extend the generosity to a small army of cronies? Close associates, security officers, personal aides, and even a Buddhist monk—all found themselves blessed with taxpayer-funded luxury rides. One might assume they were running a nationwide car rental service, except there was just one problem: none of them had the legal right to use these vehicles.
Weerawansa’s financial journey is equally fascinating. Once a firebrand leftist with the JVP, he later found himself enjoying the finer things in life—sprawling properties, luxury vehicles, and an enviable lifestyle. His transformation from journalist to millionaire minister raises a few questions:
How exactly did he accumulate his wealth?
Did he pay taxes on his earnings?
Does Sri Lanka’s Inland Revenue Department even have his address?
Now, Weerawansa is calling for a mass protest on April 1st (a fitting date) against UK-imposed sanctions on individuals accused of human rights abuses. The irony? This is the same man who funneled public funds into his family’s garage while preaching patriotism.
Maybe instead of marching against the UK, the people of Sri Lanka should march straight to his office and ask for their vehicles back. Or at the very least, request a free ride home.
Sri Lanka has a history of reclaiming individuals who thought they could escape justice—ask Kumaran Pathmanathan (KP), the infamous LTTE arms supplier, who was tracked down and brought back. Perhaps it’s time for a similar approach with missing government assets.
As Weerawansa prepares his protest, the real question remains: will he be arriving in a government-issued luxury SUV, or is it finally time to take the bus like the taxpayers who funded his motorcade?
The vehicles provided to the relatives of Weerawansa are as follows:
1. The vehicle bearing number GO 4894 for Rhythm Vimukthi Weerawansa, the young son of Vimal Weerawansa's sister, Sumanawathi Weerawansa.
2. The vehicles bearing numbers GK-5073, KD-4049, KB-7053, KW-6956, GK-5073, KP-4802 for Lalith Pushpakumara, the elder son of Vimal Weerawansa's sister, Sumanawathi Weerawansa.
3. The vehicles bearing numbers KB-6038, HQ-4974, GR-5774, KI-4648, KA-7440 for Ananda Ashoka Kumara, the husband of Thanuja Nishanthi, the sister of Vimal Weerawansa's wife.
4. The vehicle bearing number GY-4635 for Ananda Priyadarshana, the husband of Nilanthi Weerawansa, the younger sister of Vimal Weerawansa.
5. The vehicle bearing number JN-8058 for Nilanthi Weerawansa, the younger sister of Vimal Weerawansa. Rhythm Vimukthi Weerawansa has also served as a project officer at Ocean View Institute, Lalith Pushpakumara as an administrative assistant in Vimal's ministry, V. D. Ananda Ashoka as the chief security officer at the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, and P. P. Ananda Priyadarshana as an administrative assistant and store manager at the State Engineering Corporation. The above four individuals used the vehicles without any legal entitlement to do so. The remarkable incident here is that Nilanthi Weerawansa, the younger sister of Vimal, holds no position in any government institution and was merely a woman cooking rice at home, yet she was also provided with a government vehicle. The vehicles provided to the henchmen of Weerawansa are as follows: 1. For Lal Kulaaratna – HK-8877, KT-2884 2. For Piyasiri Wijenayake – JN-5767, KK-3081, 64-3225, HA-2189, KA-4685 3. For K. D. U. Jayasena – KO-5871 4. For D. V. A. Jayawardena – KM-0882 5. For L. C. Kumara – 54-5678
6. For Viraj Sanjeewa – KT-6089
7. For Nuwan Indika – KA-8125, 32-9390
8. For P. S. Wijesiri also known as Dampala – HR-7619, HN-4098
9. For Chanaka – GI-0001
10. For Nishshanka – GF-0887
The following individuals, who were recruited externally to Weerawansa's staff, were also provided with vehicles without the right to use them according to their positions: among them is the leader of the Sinhala Ravaya, the monk Ittakande Saddhatissa, and the writer Prasanna Sanjeewa Thenakoon from the Lanka Deepa newspaper.
1. A. N. S. Mendes – Secretary of Public Relations and Professional Associations – KQ-0976, KA-9447, KP-3768, KD-0158, KQ-9762
2. U. D. Sanjeewa Perera – Media Secretary/Advisor – JO-5953, JE-6557
3. Sisira Herath – Chief Security Officer (IP) – PC-6171, 252-4908, PC-8430, PF-1277, EA-0260, PE-3626, KD-1494, EA-0004, PF-3770
4. B. M. J. T. Mendes – Administrative Assistant – 65-5231, KI-3053, HR-0800, KG-2376
5. J. H. R. Nayananda – Coordination Secretary – KB-4427, JC-2440, KB-8657, JO-5953, CAB-9727
6. Alagiya Hewage Suresh Indika – Development Assistant – 301-2751, HC-2349, JW-3549, KU-9867, 300-2590
7. B. G. Indika Prasad – Accounts Assistant – PC-2896, PC-9097
8. Ishika Nadee Perera – Office Officer – JR-5354, 300-5690
9. Dr. Achala Upendra Jayatilaka – Advisor – HC-2048, HI-2658
10. Ittakande Saddhatissa Thera (Sinhala Ravaya) – Member of the Supervisory Board – GJ-7117, KO-6514, JS-9725, HN-2194, PD-2563, CAC-3327
11. Prasanna Sanjeewa Thenakoon (Lanka Deepa journalist) – Media Coordinator in the Ministry – KK-8941
12. Dushmantha Abeysinghe – Parliamentary Secretary – KE-0231, KR-7730, KA-8125, KS-7735
13. Sampath Thilakarathna – Clerk/Field Coordination Secretary – JR-5774, KT-9085, KI-1610, KS-0097, KQ-7961
14. Prasad Manju – Minister's Media Secretary – 250-4713, JY-0359
15. Ranjith Edirisinghe – Administrative Trainer/Coordination Secretary – JZ-2669
16. K. L. M. Samarathunga – Personnel Manager – HM-6920
17. Ranjith Gamini Vikramasinghe – Coordination Secretary – KA-6932, GJ-4501, JN-9942
-By An Investigative Journalist
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by (2025-03-28 18:17:10)
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