– The Court of Appeal today issued notice on the Attorney General in connection with a revision application filed by Yoshitha Rajapaksa in the money laundering case commonly known as the ‘Manik Malla’ case, which is pending before the Colombo High Court.

Yoshitha Rajapaksa filed the revision application challenging an order of the Colombo High Court that overruled a preliminary objection raised by him.Meanwhile, the Attorney General’s Department gave an undertaking before the Court of Appeal that it would not proceed with the trial against Yoshitha Rajapaksa in the money laundering case before the Colombo High Court until the revision application is heard and determined by the Court of Appeal.

Yoshitha Rajapaksa and his grandmother, Daisy Forrest, were indicted over the purchase of properties valued at approximately Rs. 73 million.The Court of Appeal was informed that Rajapaksa should be discharged from the charge of conspiracy to commit the alleged offence together with his grandmother.Counsel Hafeel Farisz, appearing for Rajapaksa, submitted that the Attorney General cannot “blow hot and cold” by seeking the discharge of his 98-year-old grandmother on the grounds of unsoundness of mind while continuing the proceedings against him.A two-judge bench of the Court of Appeal comprising Justice Amal Ranaraja and Justice Sumudu Premachandra observed that there was a legal issue requiring consideration and accordingly issued notice on the respondent.

Senior Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara thereafter informed the Court that the prosecution would not proceed with the trial fixed for June 4, 2026, until the matter is heard by the Court of Appeal.Counsel Hafeel Farisz, with N.K. Ashokbaran, Sanjeewa Kodithuwakku, Shannon Tillekaratne and Ashwin Pragash, instructed by Sanduni Rathnayake appeared for Yoshitha Rajapaksa.Senior Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, with Oswald Gomis and Tharaka Kodagoda, appeared for the Attorney General.

The matter is scheduled to be fully argued on June 16, 2026. Until then, the Attorney General has undertaken not to proceed with the trial.