Businessman Thilak Weerasinghe recently stated that the marriage between Namal Rajapaksa and Limini Weerasinghe took place when the Rajapaksa family was out of power, praising Namal as a “good son-in-law” who refrains from alcohol, meat, and fish.
Social media activists pointed out that this praise comes in the backdrop of a controversial incident involving an unpaid electricity bill from the wedding. They noted that Weerasinghe’s attempt to highlight his son-in-law as a exemplary Sinhala Buddhist leader caused him significant embarrassment.
Below is an excerpt from the detailed report published by BBC Sinhala on August 4, 2023, regarding the unpaid electricity bill:
BBC Sinhala | August 4, 2023
State Minister Sanath Nishantha stated that he paid over Rs. 2.6 million from his personal funds to settle the unpaid electricity bill associated with MP Namal Rajapaksa’s 2019 wedding ceremony.
Addressing the controversy surrounding the bill, MP Namal Rajapaksa had previously claimed that neither he nor his father had ever received such an electricity bill.
State Minister Sanath Nishantha mentioned that after meeting the Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) on October 2, he inquired about the bill and settled it using a check from his hatchery business account.
“On one hand, Mahinda Rajapaksa is the leader who ended the war and developed this country; we cannot let anyone point a finger at him. If we let that happen, we cannot call ourselves human. So I told him that if there is any payment due, I would look into it and pay it. I settled this because I couldn’t bear to let anyone blame Mahinda Rajapaksa,” Sanath Nishantha said.
Following the payment by State Minister Sanath Nishantha, MP Namal Rajapaksa addressed the media during an event at the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party headquarters (September 3).
“Yes, State Minister Sanath Nishantha settled what was referred to as my electricity bill yesterday. However, to this day, neither I nor my father received a bill. I thank MP Sanath Nishantha,” Namal Rajapaksa stated.
He further added: “I, who never received an electricity bill, do not need a copy of it. Those who made a big political issue out of this bill will now have to put it aside and find a new topic. This chapter is now closed. What MP Sanath Nishantha paid was a bill sent to the Presidential Security Division.”
Did SLPP Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa fail to settle the electricity bill for his wedding? This issue resurfaced after a response provided by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) under the Right to Information (RTI) Act to National People’s Power (NPP) executive member Nalin Hewage was leaked.
BBC Sinhala inquired with Nalin Hewage regarding the authenticity of the letter circulating on social media, and he confirmed that it was indeed the document he received.
However, MP Namal Rajapaksa told BBC Sinhala that the CEB had never notified him or his father to pay such a bill.
Nalin Hewage stated that information obtained under the RTI Act revealed an unpaid electricity bill of over Rs. 2.6 million for an event attended by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2019.
Social media and several news websites reported that this unpaid bill was linked to MP Namal Rajapaksa’s wedding ceremony.
According to the letter issued by the CEB, a request was made to provide security lighting and power supply for an event attended by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Weeraketiya residence from September 12 to 15, 2019.
The CEB letter noted that generators and security lighting were provided and subsequently removed for the period, incurring a total cost of Rs. 2,682,246.57.
Although requests were sent to settle the estimated amount, the CEB stated in its response to Nalin Hewage that the sum had remained unpaid.
When BBC Sinhala queried Nalin Hewage about the matter, he stated that MP Namal Rajapaksa’s wedding took place during the specified timeframe.
“If you check Facebook, his wedding was on the 12th. It wasn’t requested directly under his name, but the event went on for about a week there. Photos of his wedding from those days are available on Facebook. I mentioned this during a television program six months ago, where MP Namal joined live and denied it. That’s why I requested details under the RTI Act,” he explained.
MP Namal Rajapaksa informed BBC Sinhala that the CEB never issued a bill to him or his father.
“Yes, I checked. The CEB has not sent us such a bill. I informed the Electricity Board in writing through my secretary to clarify if such a bill exists, under whose name it was issued, and when it was sent to us.”
“Neither I nor my father received such a bill to this day. They are referring to a transformer, but no such equipment was installed. If it was installed at our address, shouldn’t they send us a bill?”
“Once we receive a reply from the CEB to our letter, we can look into future actions. My name is not on the RTI letter, nor does it state that it was for my wedding. Without that, people cannot make baseless accusations. As the saying goes, no matter what is said, the listener must listen with common sense,” MP Namal Rajapaksa said.
