Udayanga Weeratunga
Udayanga Weeratunga is a Sri Lankan businessman who is the former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation. Weeratunga is a irst cousin of [Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is the former President of Sri Lanka and he presented his Letter of Credence to the president of Russia Vladimir Putin on 16 November 2006.
Weeratunga is accused by the Ukrainian government of arms sales to the separatist rebels fighting government forces in Ukraine. The Sri Lankan government is currently investigating these allegations and withdrawn his diplomatic passport but his whereabouts are not known to the Sri Lankan authorities. The Financial Crimes Investigation Division applied for, but did not receive, an Interpol warrant for his arrest on 30 September 2016.
Sixteen banks accounts of Weeratunga were suspended by the courts in January 2017 due to allegations of fraud in the purchase of Mig-27 fighters. The case is ongoing without Weeratunga not attending the court. Investigations had revealed that funds amounting to a total of US$1.5 million had been deposited at various times to the sixteen accounts belonging to him with the Sri Lankan Air Force claiming that they are unable to locate the original purchase contract, which is said to have been signed in the presence of the Weeratunga.
Weeratunge was arrested in Dubai on 4 February 2018, by international police based on a request made by Sri Lankan Authorities.
