A sacred moonstone theft dating back to December 2022 has resulted in the arrest of a former Sri Lankan government minister, the country’s anti-corruption body announced this week. Keheliya Rambukwella was detained on Tuesday over allegations that he aided the removal of a centuries-old carved granite rock from the palace grounds of Sri Lanka’s last Sinhala king.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, widely known as CIABOC, said Rambukwella had conspired in the theft while serving as a government minister and had also obstructed police investigations into the matter at the time. In a statement, the commission said, “He conspired, aided and abetted the theft at a time when he was a minister.”
Details of the Sacred Moonstone Theft
The object at the centre of the case is a heavy, carved circular granite stone known as a moonstone, a traditional feature found at the entrance of Sri Lankan royal and religious sites. This particular moonstone formed part of a symbolic stepping stone entrance to the palace of Veera Parakrama Narendrasinghe, the king who reigned over the Kandyan kingdom until 1739. Moonstones of this kind are considered significant cultural and archaeological artefacts, often intricately carved with symbolic motifs representing stages of spiritual and worldly existence in traditional Sinhala architecture.
According to CIABOC, the theft occurred in December 2022, though the arrest connected to the case was only made this week. The commission’s investigation found that Rambukwella’s alleged involvement extended beyond the removal of the stone itself to include efforts to hinder the police inquiry that followed.
Additional Charges Against the Former Minister
Beyond the moonstone case, CIABOC said Rambukwella has also been charged with a separate and unrelated offence involving the misuse of state funds. According to the commission, he used government funds to employ six people for his private business, a charge that adds to the list of allegations he now faces.
Rambukwella’s arrest is the latest in a series of cases brought by Sri Lanka’s anti-corruption commission against former officials accused of misusing their positions for personal gain or facilitating the loss of nationally significant property. Cultural heritage theft has periodically drawn public attention in South Asia, with historic sites and artefacts remaining vulnerable to unauthorised removal despite legal protections.
The case underscores the challenges authorities in the region face in safeguarding archaeological and royal heritage sites, particularly when those responsible for oversight are alleged to be complicit in the very violations meant to be prevented. As the investigation into the sacred moonstone theft continues, further details are expected to emerge regarding how the artefact was removed and where it may currently be located.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, August 20th, 2026
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