Funds of NHDA district office deposited into senior official's account; witness tells PCoI

Funds of the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA)'s Kalutara branch had been deposited into the personal bank account of a senior NHDA official, it was revealed before a Presidential Commission today (Jun 25).

The revelation was made by Athula Bandara, the Kalutara District Manager of the housing authority who appeared as a witness before the Presidential Commission probing state sector corruption today.

A complaint had been filed at the Commission against an illegal method used to disburse funds from district NHDA offices to construct plaques for Gam Udawa projects.

According to the complainant, district offices at the housing authority had released funds to construct plaques for these projects upon a letter issued by the NHDA's general manager. This had take place without following the due process, the complainant claimed.

During today's hearing, the Presidential Commission questioned the Kalutara District Manager on which grounds he had released the required funds while knowing that it was illegal.

In response, the witness had stated that other district offices too had released the required funds since there had been undue pressure exerted from the NHDA's assistant general manager Wajira Wasantha who had close ties with senior politicians.

Some of these funds had even been deposited to Mr. Wasantha's personal bank account, the Kalutara District Manager conceded.