SPC funds allegedly used to pay Rs. 200,000-plus phone bill
BY Buddhika SamaraweeraThe Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) yesterday (28) served indictments against Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella and former State Printing Corporation (SPC) Chairman Jayampathi Bandara Heenkenda over an incident where SPC funds were used to pay a private telephone bill.The CIABOC served indictments to Rambukwella and Heenkenda before Colombo High Court Judge Damith Thotawatte. They are accused of having used the SPC’s funds to settle one of Rambukwella’s private telephone bills during his tenure as Minister of Mass Media.The judge ordered the two accused to be released on cash bails of Rs. 30,000 each and two personal bails of Rs. 350,000. In addition, Judge Thotawatte ordered that the fingerprints of the accused be recorded, while also announcing that the case will be taken up again on 3 November.The CIABOC filed this case against Rambukwella and Heenkenda alleging that they had committed the offence of “corruption” and caused a loss to the Government by settling Rambukwella’s private telephone bill, which amounted to Rs. 230,984.45, using funds belonging to the SPC, during the period March-April 2012.
