Sri Lanka police arrests former president Rajapaksa’s party chief over death threat

Sri Lankan police arrested Sagara Kariyawasam, the General-Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Party (SLPP), on Monday for allegedly issuing a death threat against the police chief, officers said.A party leader of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, Kariyawasam’s arrest is the latest in a series of detentions involving associates and relatives of the once-untouchable Rajapaksa political dynasty. 

The former president is himself facing allegations that he received kickbacks from Airbus over an aircraft purchase deal that was eventually scrapped.

The 80-year-old’s three children, wife, two brothers and several nephews and nieces are facing charges of money-laundering and stealing state

Kariyawasam, at a press conference in Colombo last week, warned Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya that he could be killed if he continued to be partisan.