Rohitha Abeygunawardena

Pahalage Rohitha Piyatissa Abeygunawardena (born 21 September 1966) is a Sri Lankan politician and businessman.[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. He is often referred to by the masses as “Raththaran”.[2] On 27 November 2019, he was appointed as Minister for Energy[3] On 12 August 2020, he was appointed as the minister of ports and shipping.[4]

Hon.

Rohitha Abeygunawardena

MP
Deputy Minister of Post, Telecommunications & Udarata Development
In office
2004–2007
Minister of Nation Building
In office
2007–2010
Deputy Minister of Ports & Aviation
In office
2010 – 9 January 2015
Member of the Sri Lanka Parliament
for Kalutara District
Assumed office
2001
State Minister of Energy
Assumed office
27 November 2019
Minister of Ports and Shipping
Assumed office
12 August 2020
Personal details
Born (1966-09-21) 21 September 1966
NationalitySri Lankan
Political partySri Lanka Freedom Party
Other political
affiliations		United People's Freedom Alliance
Residence4/3/A First Lane, Gangadara Road, Sirimal Uyana, Ratmalana

Education

Rohitha Abeygunawardena was educated at Gnanodaya Vidyalaya, Kalutara.[5]

Early career

He was the driver of minister Ediriweera Premarathne.[6]

Investigations

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]

References
  1. "Rohitha Abeygunawardana". Directory of Members. Parliament of Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2009-03-12.
  2. Hon. Rohitha Abeygunawardana, Project Minister of Highways, Ports & Shipping
  3. "38 State and Deputy Ministers sworn in". Newsfirst. MTV Channel (Pvt) Ltd.
  4. LBO (2020-08-12). "Swearing-in ceremony for Sri Lanka's new Cabinet". Lanka Business Online. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  5. "Rohitha Abeygunawardana – Manthri.lk". www.manthri.lk. Retrieved 2019-11-30.
  6. Ediriweera, Achini. "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.


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