News
Govt. corruption: Commission receives 610 complaints
The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) appointed by the President to investigate and inquire into serious acts of fraud, corruption and the abuse of power, State resources and privileges by the present government, had received 610 complaints as of Friday (8), against various State sector enterprises, ministries, and departments.
A number of these complaints had been submitted by the Opposition Leader’s office, consequent to public petitions received from individuals, to the CoI Secretary at the BMICH, and by post as well.
A CoI officer said that 320 complaints had been filed and given to the CoI Chairman and other members, while 15 complaints were under investigation by a special police investigations unit headed by an Assistant Superintendent of Police.
The public can lodge complaints until March 14, 2019.
Among the complaints are those against Minister of Development Strategies, International Trade, Science, Technology & Research, Malik Samarawickrema, citing large scale fraud and corruption by his ministry, and against Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne on allegations of corruption and abuse in the import of medicine, and allegations pertaining to the purchase of the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital, following the closure of SAITM.
Former Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe had lodged a complaint that the Government’s Suraksha Rakshana student insurance scheme was a fraud and had cost the Government Rs. 2.3 billion.
Another complaint was against the Ministry of Education for incurring what is described as unnecessary costs in printing school textbooks, totaling Rs. 29 million, because they carried photographs of the Prime Minister and Education Minister, in colour, inside. The National Housing Development Authority was charged with political revenge in its dismissal of employees.
Some of the other State institutions accused of corruption and fraud are the National Water Supply & Drainage Board, the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, ITN and the Sri Lanka Medical Council.
The CoI comprises retired Supreme Court Justice Upali Abeyratne (Chairman), retired Ministry Secretary Lalith R. de Silva, retired High Court Judge Kusala Sarojini Weerawardena, and retired Deputy Inspector General of Police Vijaya Amarasinghe.
The date for the first public hearing hasn’t been confirmed as yet.