Rohitha Abeygunawardena

Hon.
Rohitha Abeygunawardena
MP
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 by	Mahinda Samarasinghe
Succeeded by	Pramitha Tennakoon
Personal details
Born	21 September 1966 (age 58)
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Political party	Sri 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 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. 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]

Education

Rohitha Abeygunawardena was educated at Gnanodaya Vidyalaya, Kalutara.^[4]

Early career

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.^[5]

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.^[6]

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.^[7] The Director General of the Bribery Commission alleged that the minister made 66 unlawful monetary transactions, constructed a house and purchased a jeep.^[8]

References

^ "Rohitha Abeygunawardana". Directory of Members. Parliament of Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2009-03-12.
^ "38 State and Deputy Ministers sworn in". Newsfirst. MTV Channel (Pvt) Ltd. 27 November 2019.
^ LBO (2020-08-12). "Swearing-in ceremony for Sri Lanka's new Cabinet". Lanka Business Online. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
^ "Rohitha Abeygunawardana – Manthri.lk". www.manthri.lk. Retrieved 2019-11-30.
^ Ediriweera, Achini (23 May 2016). "How Did My Father's Driver, 'Raththaran' Stack Up Billions In 10 Years?". Colombo Telegraph. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
^ "The Sunday Times".
^ "HC commences trial against Rohitha Abeygunawardena". Daily News. The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
^ Sooriyagoda, Lakmal. "HC commences trial against Rohitha Abeygunawardena". Daily News. Retrieved 2019-11-30.

[1] "Rohitha Abeygunawardana". Directory of Members. Parliament of Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2009-03-12.

[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] Ediriweera, Achini (23 May 2016). "How Did My Father's Driver, 'Raththaran' Stack Up Billions In 10 Years?". Colombo Telegraph. Retrieved 29 November 2019.

[6] "The Sunday Times".

[7] "HC commences trial against Rohitha Abeygunawardena". Daily News. The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. Retrieved 29 November 2019.

[8] Sooriyagoda, Lakmal. "HC commences trial against Rohitha Abeygunawardena". Daily News. Retrieved 2019-11-30.

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