President instructs Nimal Sripla de Silva to resign amidst bribery allegations; orders for probe

Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva has resigned from his ministerial portfolio with immediate effects following corruption allegations levelled against him. 

Issuing a statement, President Media Division (PMD) said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa ordered an immediate formal investigation into the allegations leveled by the opposition leader in Parliament yesterday (05) regarding a transaction between the Ministry of Aviation with a private company.

Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva will step down temporarily from the position of Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation Services on the instructions of the President until the investigations are concluded, the statement said.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa revealed in Parliament yesterday that one Cabinet Minister had demanded a bribe to grant approval from a Japanese company namedTasisei.

Rejecting the allegations, Mr de Silva also wrote to President Rajapaksa urging him to conduct an independent probe to clear his name from the bribery allegations.