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Rohitha Abeygunawardena

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Hon.
Rohitha Abeygunawardena
MP
Deputy Minister of Post, Telecommunications and Udarata Development
In office
2004–2007
Minister of Nation Building
In office
2007–2010
Deputy Minister of Ports and Aviation
In office
2010 – 9 January 2015
Member of Parliament
for Kalutara District
Incumbent
Assumed office
2001
State Minister of Energy
Incumbent
Assumed office
27 November 2019
Minister of Ports and Shipping
In office
12 August 2020 – 18 April 2022
Preceded byMahinda Samarasinghe
Succeeded byPramitha Tennakoon
Personal details
Born (1966-09-21) 21 September 1966 (age 58)
NationalitySri Lankan
Political partySri Lanka Freedom Party
Other political
affiliations		United People's Freedom Alliance
Residence(s)4/3/A First Lane, Gangadara Road, Sirimal Uyana, Ratmalana

Pahalage Rohitha Piyatissa Abeygunawardena (Sinhala: රෝහිත අබේගුණවර්ධන, Tamil: ரோஹித அபேகுணவர்தன) (born 21 September 1966) is a Sri Lankan politician and former notorious criminal, robber, bootlegger.[1] He was the Minister of Nation Building. He is a representative of Kalutara District for the United People's Freedom Alliance in the Parliament of Sri Lanka. On 27 November 2019, he was appointed as Minister for Energy[2] On 12 August 2020, he was appointed as the minister of ports and shipping.[3]

Early life

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Pahalage Rohitha Piyatissa Abeygunawardena was born on September 21, 1966 in Payagala, Beruwala, Kalutara. Rohitha Abeygunawardena was educated at Gnanodaya Vidyalaya, Kalutara.[4] His father unemployed and criminal. At age 8 or 10 he left school and Abeygunawardena admired the local mobsters Ediriweera Premarathna, In his early teens he robber shops and women jewellery. Premarathna enter the political career and became a Beruwala Council member, and chairman. After death Premarathna he enter the political career.[5]

Early career

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He was the driver of minister Ediriweera Premarathna and taking his trust to build his political career. Daughter of Ediriweera even stated to an article the first time to get the driving job, he came in a bicycle.[6]

Investigations

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Abeygunawardena was questioned in September 2008 on allegations of undeclared assets estimated at more than Rs. 450 million. The two officers who were conducting the investigation were later transferred out of the Bribery commission.[7]

The Commission of Bribery and Corruption filed a case against Abeygunawardena on 8 January 2016 over undeclared and illegally earned assets worth over Rs 41.1 million.[8] The Director General of the Bribery Commission alleged that the minister made 66 unlawful monetary transactions, constructed a house and purchased a jeep.[9]

Reports indicate that the Kandy Crimes Investigation Division has seized a BMW worth over Rs. 60 million and a luxury SUV, which were found hidden at the residence of a relative of former minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena in the Aniwatte area..[10][11]

References

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  1. ^ "When someone steal necklaces in the bus, people called them a thief, we did the same- Vijitha: HL news 19 Mar". SBS Language. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
  2. ^ "38 State and Deputy Ministers sworn in". Newsfirst. MTV Channel (Pvt) Ltd. 27 November 2019.
  3. ^ LBO (2020-08-12). "Swearing-in ceremony for Sri Lanka's new Cabinet". Lanka Business Online. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  4. ^ "Rohitha Abeygunawardana – Manthri.lk". www.manthri.lk. Retrieved 2019-11-30.
  5. ^ "LEN - www.lankaenews.com | Rohitha Try to Assault and Blocks Shanakiyan Rasamanickam MP from Entering Sri Lankan Prime Minister's Parliament Office: Political Tensions Flare.!". www.lankaenews.com. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
  6. ^ Ediriweera, Achini (23 May 2016). "How Did My Father's Driver, 'Raththaran' Stack Up Billions In 10 Years?". Colombo Telegraph. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  7. ^ "The Sunday Times".
  8. ^ "HC commences trial against Rohitha Abeygunawardena". Daily News. The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  9. ^ Sooriyagoda, Lakmal. "HC commences trial against Rohitha Abeygunawardena". Daily News. Retrieved 2019-11-30.
  10. ^ "Seized luxury vehicles : Rohitha's son-in-law refutes allegations". Newswire. 2024-10-21. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
  11. ^ "Two luxury vehicles seized from Former Minister's relative". Newswire. 2024-10-21. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
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