President instructs officials to expedite probe into Bond scam

President Maithripala Sirisena today (Aug 28) instructed officials to expedite investigations into the central bank bond scam which had taken place in 2015.

He had made these remarks during a meeting attended by officials including investigators of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry which had been appointed to probe the scam.

At present, four interim reports have been handed over to the President. Accordingly, the President had been informed that the remaining reports would be handed over to him by December, a spokesman for the President said.

Mr. Sirisena had pointed out the difficulties in carrying out further investigations into the case since the Central Bank has not submitted the required documents related to the case going back by five years.

The President had emphasized that delaying investigations were an obstruction to serving justice.

Officials from the Attorney General's Department informed the President that the suspects alleged to have been implicated in the scam have been charged under the Penal Code.

Finance Secretary Dr. R.H.S Samaratunga, Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajith Coomaraswamy, Acting Police Chief Chandana Wickramaratne, and officials from the Attorney General's Department had attended the meeting.