• AKD gets tough with public sector officials; Lalkantha gives reality check on public hopes from Govt.
• Mahinda to take up ADB appointment on 1 July; 2026 Budget preparations up to incoming Secretary
• AKD gears for official visit to Germany while RW gears for organised Russian tour during same period
• Russian envoy to SL says Govt. yet to take practical steps to join BRICS, says Govt. should talk to Brazil
• RW’s attempt to meet former Singaporean PM blocked by Foreign Ministry’s delay in sending letter
• Two more additions expected to Cabinet if reshuffle takes place; more monies flow to JVP/NPP coffers
• SJB stands firm on decision to give appointments based on votes polled; Sajith meets Opposition parties
• RW pushes sharing of posts in LGs with SJB; Sajith meets SLPPers who push for sharing posts in councils
• Sajith discusses SLPP proposal with Management Comm.; all agree to share, forming alliance a priority
• SJB to appoint chair and UNP to appoint deputies; key posts in some LGs to be shared by SLPP and SLFP
• Consensus reached on CMC, SJB mayor and UNP deputy mayor; complaint lodged against SJB nominee
• Amidst numbers game CMC to convene on 16 June, dates set for 178 LGs; SJB takes lead in Bentota LG
• Female representation quota not met in 46 LGs; females expected to be appointed to fill vacancies
• Namal reveals close connections to Bimal’s family; CIABOC working on filing more bribery cases soon
• Harini reveals missing files from ‘Yahapalana’ Anti-Corruption Committee Office; spotlight on GR over ongoing probe
• Chamara challenges Govt. to catch one ‘rogue,’ lists out Govt. members who will be jailed in future
• Harshana warns media, says ‘no pardon’ to one media; Dayasiri retracts comments, goes before CID
• Sunil speaks of checking drivers’, mistresses’ accounts; focus turns to exit points to prevent fleeing
• Mervyn, Chandrani indicted and Keheliya to be indicted; Mahindananda, Nalin to sew and weave
• Johnston, Rajitha cases recalled; bond scam case returns as Supreme Court dismisses previous rulings

The ‘catching rogues’ programme launched by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) Government is now in accelerated mode with probes being initiated and cases being filed against members of former governments almost on a daily basis. 

While it is commendable to focus on one of the key pledges made by AKD and the JVP/NPP in the run-up to elections last year, it is one’s hope that focus is not diluted on the other key pledge of building the country’s economy. The accelerated vigour in ‘catching rogues’ would have to be applied on the economic front as well, if the country is to move towards growth.

On the issue of ‘catching rogues,’ while the JVP/NPP Government is pushing on with the programme, it is ironic to note that the current cases being filed by law enforcement authorities against senior members of former governments are being done using legislations like the Anti-Corruption Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act that were in fact passed in Parliament with the votes of the very same individuals currently being probed and facing cases under the said laws.

The key investigators in the ongoing probes, who have had previous experience in a similar programme during the ‘Yahapalana’ Government, seem to have adopted new strategies as well, which is to conduct multiple investigations into an individual to ensure that one or the other probe could lead to an indictment before court. The technicalities in many of the ongoing probes seem to have resulted in the authorities turning to indict individuals under money laundering and corruption laws that could be fought in a courtroom.

Be that as it may, it would be for the benefit of the JVP/NPP Government to also strategise in a similar manner to explore multiple options and engage with the international community and foreign investors with the sincerity of moving ahead with investment projects. 

Despite claims by the Government of the millions of dollars of Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) flowing into the country, the monies and the ensuing action on the ground are yet to be witnessed by the people. The success of the statements made by the Government and officials will only be felt by the masses if there is ground movement, employment creation, and an easing of the cost-of-living burden. So far, these areas have seen little to no improvements.

The slow pace of the country’s public sector, the inexperience of some senior officials holding key offices, and the reluctance of senior Government members to engage with foreign investors as well as the fear of some officials to grant necessary approvals could be listed as some of the reasons for the failure to transform the country’s economy from stability to growth.

However, it is evident that President AKD is also looking at balancing all – from honouring pledges to ensuring economic growth – and that he is also losing his patience. The President’s recent statement at an event about the country’s public sector indicates that he is now pushing for action. He told the public sector: “Let go of the old ways. Embrace change. The time has come. And I will repeat this again and again, either you change, or we will change you.”

Nevertheless, it will also be important for President AKD to look into his ministers as well since they too are accountable to ensure the smooth flow of the Government.

Sri Lanka’s economy still has a long and what seems like a ‘potholed’ path ahead on the area of economic recovery, with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) also stating that it could take another two years for the country to reach the economic position it had in 2018. The need for a steady and proper growth momentum has been continuously highlighted in ‘The Black Box,’ mainly due to the need for Sri Lanka to expand its economy prior to 2028, when debt repayment commences.

It is however heartening to see that at least one member of the JVP/NPP Government has understood the importance of economic growth. Minister K.D. Lalkantha recently claimed that the incumbent Government would also be ousted by the people if it failed to build the economy. 

“Why did Gotabaya Rajapaksa have to leave office? It was because of economic issues. You remember the fuel queues and the country’s economic bankruptcy. There was no one to give loans to Sri Lanka. We still can’t take loans. There’s no politics if the economy fails. Then one cannot hold on to power. If we fail to build the economy, then the people will send us home as well,” Lalkantha noted.

He further stated that regardless of whether the Government had a two-thirds majority or not, the masses would take action if the Government failed.

Debt expenditure

Meanwhile, officials from the Treasury have stated that Sri Lanka has spent about Rs. 1.5 trillion for principal and interest payments in the first four months of the 2025, while utilising over 20% of the borrowing limit.

Speaking before the Committee on Public Finance (COPF), Treasury officials have said that Rs. 796 billion has been spent on interest payments – 27% of the total allocation by the end of April – and Rs. 352 billion has been spent on principal payments – 22% of the total allocation. The figures showed that out of the interest payments made, Rs. 705 billion was spent on paying domestic interest.

Officials have also said that out of the approved borrowing limit of Rs. 3,800 billion for 2025, Rs. 654 billion had been borrowed from domestic sources while Rs. 128 billion had been borrowed from foreign sources by the end of April, taking total utilisation to 20.5% of the total limit.

In terms of domestic borrowings, Rs. 107 billion worth of Treasury bills were retired by the end of April and Treasury bonds worth Rs. 760 billion were issued on a net basis during the period.

It was also revealed that domestic debt stock stood at Rs. 19.3 trillion by the end of April, while the foreign debt stock stood at Rs. 11.2 trillion by the end of March.

Rs. 1,515 billion worth of Treasury guarantees were issued by the end of April, out of which Rs. 910 billion was issued for foreign sources.

Further, Treasury officials have said that Sri Lanka has expected the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to be at Rs. 32 trillion in rupee terms by the end of 2025 from the initial projection of Rs. 33 trillion in Budget 2025. The revision in GDP in rupee terms means that revenue collection and expenditure could reduce by Rs. 150 billion in 2025.

Mahinda’s new appointment

Meanwhile, it was officially announced last week that Finance Ministry Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana would be retiring from his post at the end of the month and would afterwards be accepting a senior post at the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Siriwardana’s retirement is to come into effect at the end of June and the new appointment is to commence from 1 July.

Accordingly, he will assume the role of Alternate Executive Director of the ADB. Siriwardana is to oversee seven countries, including the Philippines, Taiwan, and Sri Lanka. 

His departure happens as the Government commences work on the 2026 Budget programme and it will be his successor who will have to play a prudent role in balancing the country’s economy.

No interest in BRICS

President AKD and the Government meanwhile are also working on building and further strengthening ties with the international community. 

The President is due to leave on his fifth official tour this week. This time AKD will visit Germany commencing Thursday (12) in a bid to enhance Sri Lanka’s ties with the Germans.

However, Russian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Levan S. Dzhagaryan recently made an interesting statement about Sri Lanka’s interest in joining BRICS. “If Sri Lanka is interested in joining the BRICS alliance, the country must take practical steps,” he has stated.

Speaking during an event at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies in Colombo, Ambassador Dzhagaryan has said Russia and China have been offering support to Sri Lanka, but he has not seen adequate interest from the Sri Lankan side.

Responding to a question raised about Sri Lanka joining BRICS, the Russian Ambassador has noted that he has been questioned about the matter on several occasions. 

He has said: “Last October, I met with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and brought with me an invitation letter from the President of Russia, inviting Sri Lanka to participate in the BRICS summit. I spoke with a language interpreter, but I don’t know if the translation was accurate. 

“The President told me that due to the upcoming General Elections, he wouldn’t be able to visit Russia. If Sri Lanka is to join BRICS, it’s not just a matter of Russia; all the member countries need to agree, and there are several steps to take before that happens.”

Dzhagaryan has further stated that he has not seen much interest at the moment and therefore requested Sri Lanka to take certain practical steps if it is serious about joining BRICS.

RW to visit Russia

However, it is interesting to note that former President Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to travel to Russia on an official tour this week. Having been on a spree of foreign tours since leaving office, Wickremesinghe accepting an invitation to travel to Russia came as a surprise to many.

It is learnt that the Russian tour had been organised by a senior member of the United National Party (UNP) together with a leading businessman who engages in business in Sri Lanka and Russia in addition to enjoying close ties with the latter.

Wickremesinghe’s Russian tour, which is expected to commence on Thursday (12), will coincide with President AKD’s tour of Germany.

Letter blocks RW

Meanwhile, Wickremesinghe, who recently engaged in a visit to Singapore, had faced quite a predicament due to a shortcoming on the part of Sri Lanka’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, it is learnt. As a result, Wickremesinghe had not been able to meet with former Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

It is further learnt that a letter requesting a meeting between Wickremesinghe and Lee had not been forwarded by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, raising concerns over procedural lapses in diplomatic coordination.

Wickremesinghe had left for Singapore on 29 May and expressed interest in meeting with Lee as part of his itinerary. His office had formally informed the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Colombo of this intention, in line with established diplomatic protocol.

However, it has now been revealed that the ministry had failed to forward the request to Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During his visit, Wickremesinghe had reportedly held discussions with several senior Singaporean ministers, and some of these ministers had made efforts to arrange an informal meeting between Wickremesinghe and Lee. However, Wickremesinghe, it is learnt, had declined to proceed with the meeting, citing concerns over potential violations of diplomatic protocol in the absence of official clearance.

The former President concluded the visit and returned to Sri Lanka on Monday (2).

Additions to Cabinet

Meanwhile, the continuing talk of making changes to the Government and key positions in the Government have resulted in contradictory statements being made by senior members of the Government.

It is in such a backdrop that some members within the Government have stated that there will be a Cabinet reshuffle and that it will result in the number of ministers increasing from 23 to 25. It is however still unclear as to when this Cabinet reshuffle will take place.

It is learnt that in the event of a Cabinet reshuffle, the President will look at including a Muslim to the Cabinet, the lack of which was criticised by many following the appointment of the Cabinet of Ministers following last year’s Parliamentary Elections. According to reports, Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih and Deputy Minister Muneer Mulaffer are tipped to be at the top of the list for new Cabinet appointments. 

If the Government proceeds with a Cabinet reshuffle, it is believed that changes will be made to deputy ministerial portfolios as well.

It is further learnt that the President is also considering the enhancement of regional cooperation through the new appointments to the Cabinet while also limiting the Cabinet to the number promised by the JVP/NPP – 25 members.

JVP/NPP coffers

However, the JVP/NPP’s political achievements on one hand have managed to increase funds in the coffers of the ruling party. The JVP/NPP policy is that the salaries and allowances of all public representatives of the party at parliamentary and Local Government (LG) levels are deposited in a general party fund to be used for welfare measures initiated by the JVP/NPP.

With 159 Members of Parliament (MPs) and now 3,941 LG members representing the JVP/NPP directing their monthly earnings to a party account, the annual income through such deposits will increase to over Rs. 1,000 million per annum for the JVP/NPP.

Given that the State coffers make payments for all public representatives, even to the JVP/NPP members holding public offices, there will not be any saving to the State by the ruling party public representatives’ move to direct their earnings to the party coffers.

Nevertheless, the ruling party indeed will be well stocked on its future political path.

SJB stands firm

Meanwhile, the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), which recently faced many issues related to the finalising of name lists of LG bodies, had decided to stand firm on a decision reached by the party’s Working Committee when nominating names through the list.

The Working Committee had earlier decided to include names of candidates who had polled high vote percentages from their wards in the name lists for the LG bodies.

SJB seniors have therefore decided not to give in to pressure brought upon by some party organisers demanding the appointment of their loyalists and family members to LG bodies through the list. 

Issues that had arisen over nominating names through lists to LG bodies had resulted in some SJB organisers resigning from their organiser posts. However, most of them later returned to their positions following discussions with the party leadership.

Sajith’s silent moves

Meanwhile, Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa has held several rounds of discussions with Opposition political parties, including the UNP and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), to discuss the formation of administrations in councils where no party has secured a majority of seats.

Despite being indisposed in the past few days, it is learnt that Premadasa had engaged in discussions with Opposition parties and independent groups to secure support to form administrations in LG bodies.

It is interesting to note that unlike his former Leader, the UNP’s Wickremesinghe, Premadasa opted to engage in his meetings in silence without any media presence. Perhaps it was a lesson learnt by watching the failures of the UNP in some instances due to premature media publicity over political moves.

However, Wickremesinghe, it is leant, had turned to his well-known role as manipulator by discussing with several Opposition parties to push for positions in administrations of local bodies that the SJB will form with the support of other Opposition parties. It is also learnt that Wickremesinghe had explained to these Opposition party representatives that in some instances, the Opposition parties combined had more seats in councils than the SJB.

Meeting SLPP

It is in such a backdrop that Premadasa had met with representatives of the SLPP. Premadasa’s meeting with the SLPP representatives had been held outside the Opposition Leader’s Office in Colombo, since the SLPPers had said they wanted to meet at a neutral location and were not willing to discuss LG bodies at the Opposition Leader’s Office. Upon hearing this, Premadasa had agreed and asked SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara to organise the meeting and said that he would attend it.

However, prior to the SLPP’s meeting with Premadasa, it is learnt that the UNP Leader had engaged in a conversation with the SLPPers where he had proposed that all Opposition parties should be allocated positions in LG bodies where the Opposition parties would extend their support to the SJB to form the administrations.

During the meeting with Premadasa, at which the SLPP delegation was led by Party General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, it had been proposed that the SJB should look at sharing positions in LG bodies with other Opposition parties given that the SJB could not form administrations without the support of the combined Opposition.

Quota theory

Premadasa, it is learnt, had been surprised by the SLPP’s proposal, but had not rejected it. He had felt that the notion of sharing positions in LG bodies seemed to have been moved by the UNP side.

When the SLPP had proposed that some positions in some LG bodies should be shared with the SLPP, Premadasa had listened and noted that he was unable to make such a decision on his own and was therefore unable to give an upfront response at the time.

Premadasa had informed the SLPPers that he would meet with his party and put forward the proposal by the SLPP and revert with a decision afterwards. The SLPPers had also agreed with Premadasa and concluded the meeting.

Management Committee

Meanwhile, Premadasa had convened a meeting of the SJB’s Management Committee, where he had presented the SLPP’s proposal of sharing positions in LG bodies with other Opposition parties including the SLPP.

Premadasa had also pointed out that the SJB would have to make some important sacrifices on its part in order to ensure that the combined Opposition held power in some of the LG bodies. However, he had reiterated that he could not make a decision on his own with regard to this issue.

Following a lengthy discussion, the SJB seniors had agreed that the way forward in cooperating with Opposition parties was to share positions with the key parties among them, although it could be a political setback for the SJB.

Nevertheless, the SJBers have noted that the greater need at the moment is for Opposition parties to unite for the sake of party members and the country.

The SLPP had then been informed that the SJB was agreeable to the proposal of sharing positions in some LG bodies with the party.

It is learnt that the SJB had reached agreements with the UNP that where the SJB appoints the chair in a council, the deputy post will be assigned to the UNP. If the SLPP or the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) are taking the lead in some councils with the support of other Opposition parties, the chair and deputy posts will be shared by the SLPP and SLFP.

Consensus for Colombo

Accordingly, several Opposition parties last week reached a consensus to share administrative control of key municipal bodies, including the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC).

It is also learnt that the SJB, UNP, and SLPP had met last week at a hotel in Kollupitiya where several meetings of Opposition party representatives have been held in the past few months.

The meeting had focused on establishing functional leadership in LG bodies where administrative control has remained unresolved since last month’s elections.

According to the agreement reached at this meeting, the SJB will nominate a candidate for the post of mayor of Colombo, while the UNP will be granted the position of deputy mayor in the council.

The SJB last week nominated Riza Zarook as the party’s candidate for Colombo mayor. SJB MP Mujibur Rahman, who is spearheading the SJB’s campaign to secure power in the CMC, said that key Opposition parties had already agreed to the SJB’s nominee.

Complaint to CIABOC

However, the SJB was faced with another issue related to the CMC when a complaint was reportedly lodged last week with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) against the individual that the SJB had decided to nominate as the nominee for CMC mayor – Zarook.

The complaint had been filed on Monday (2) by Pradeep Charles, identified as a Convenor of the civil society group ‘Aragalaye Niyamuwo.’

The complaint had referred to an audit report linked to alleged large-scale financial mismanagement that had taken place within the CMC.

Date set

Meanwhile, the gazette announcing the date when the CMC would convene to elect the mayor, deputy mayor, and other officials of the council was issued last week. The date has been gazetted as 16 June. The gazette was issued by the Western Province Local Government Commissioner.

Both the JVP/NPP and main Opposition SJB have now declared their mayoral candidates as well. 

The SJB has agreed to field a UNP councillor as the deputy mayoral candidate. The SJB’s Rahman said that an agreement has been reached to appoint a UNP deputy mayor.

He further noted last week that the Opposition required only around two more seats in the CMC to establish power and expressed confidence in securing these numbers.

The gazette had also included dates to convene the 178 LG bodies that are yet to be constituted.

SLPP’s anti-Govt. stance

The SLPP meanwhile has expressed its willingness to support the formation of a coalition administration in the CMC aimed at countering the influence of the ruling party.

SLPP General Secretary Kariyawasam has told the media that the party is prepared to provide the necessary political support to an alliance opposed to the JVP/NPP, in a bid to establish a new administration within the Colombo municipal area.

“As a party, we believe that the current Government does not enjoy majority support among the residents living within the CMC limits. Given the clear rejection of the NPP by the people of Colombo, we are ready to assist in forming an alternative administration through a collective of anti-NPP forces,” Kariyawasam has noted.

Taking Bentota

Meanwhile, three Opposition parties and two independent groups last week agreed to form a coalition to take control of the Bentota LG body and have also reached an agreement on appointing the chairman and vice chairman of the council.

The decision had been made during a meeting held last Monday (2) chaired by SJB District Organiser, former Minister Gayantha Karunatilleka.

The JVP/NPP had secured 10 seats in the LG body while the combined Opposition had secured 13 seats – SJB (five seats), SLPP (two), People’s Alliance (one), UNP (one), and two independent groups (two seats each).

SLPPers satisfied

Meanwhile, SLPP members have expressed satisfaction over the selection process of its councillors for the LG bodies, stating that it was conducted independently and impartially.

Several party seniors have informed the SLPP leadership that there is a positive sentiment within the SLPP regarding the criteria and procedures followed in selecting councillors and that many members believed it was a step towards strengthening internal democracy within the party.

Several party representatives have conveyed their appreciation to SLPP National Organiser Namal Rajapaksa and other senior leaders who were engaged in finalising the lists of names for the LG bodies for ensuring a fair and transparent selection process.

Female quota

However, it was reported last week that 46 LG bodies had not met the 25% female representatives quota. 

The People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) has pointed out that there are less than 25% women in 46 LG bodies and that the 25% female representative quota in LG bodies has been mandatory since 2018.

PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi however noted that he believed the councils that had less than 25% women in them would look at appointing women to the council in the event there was a resignation and a vacancy created as a result. 

Namal-Bimal connection

Meanwhile, an interesting revelation was made in Parliament last week when the SLPP’s Namal Rajapaksa revealed that Leader of the House, Minister Bimal Rathnayake and he hailed from the same village and had close family connections.

“We know your father and family members. Although you might not say this to others, there’s nothing to hide about it,” Rajapaksa stated.

“We are from the same village and we don’t care about hatred. We have no jealousy and we have no enemies. We have links since we are from the same village, including relationships, but politics is different,” he added.

More bribery cases

Meanwhile, the Government’s action against corruption is to result in the CIABOC preparing indictments against four former Cabinet Ministers and two former State Ministers on bribery charges before the Colombo High Court.

It is learnt that the accused include former Ministers who had represented the Colombo, Kurunegala, Badulla, and Batticaloa Districts and that the probes, which had begun following the 2015 General Elections, have now been completed, with the process of filing cases before the Colombo High Court currently underway.

CIABOC sources have reportedly stated that the charges involve the misuse of official power and position to secure personal financial gains, resulting in losses to the State. The alleged acts have reportedly violated Section 70 of the Anti-Corruption Act, which refers to public officers engaging in corrupt practices.

Missing files

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya meanwhile told Parliament last week that several files that were with the former Anti-Corruption Committee Office, which operated under the Prime Minister’s Office during the ‘Yahapalana’ Government, had gone missing.

“We are unaware of what happened to the files. We don’t know whether former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe removed them when he assumed the presidency in 2022,” the Premier had told Parliament.

The ‘Yahapalana’ Government that assumed office on the pledge of ensuring accountability set up the Anti-Corruption Committee with Cabinet approval to gather complaints of corruption during previous governments and to assign them to law enforcement authorities. 

Then Prime Minister Wickremesinghe served as its Chairperson and President AKD was also a member of the committee, along with Minister Ananda Wijepala. Among the other members of the committee were Mangala Samaraweera, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, R. Sampanthan, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, M.A. Sumanthiran, J.C. Weliamuna, Jayampathy Wickramaratne, and Malik Samarawickrama.

GR under spotlight

Meanwhile, the name of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa (GR) returned to the spotlight last week over the arrest of former General Manager of the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRDC) M.R. Srimathi Mallika Kumari Senadheera by the CIABOC over alleged irregularities in the spending of public funds amounting to Rs. 27.6 million.

The former General Manager was linked to the first phase of the Weras Ganga project and the investigators had alleged that Senadheera had unlawfully selected an institution for the project’s inauguration event outside proper procurement procedures, thereby granting it an undue advantage.

It was also stated that although no funds had been allocated for the ceremony from the project budget, Rs. 27.6 million was reportedly spent from project funds, resulting in a financial loss to the State.

When presented before Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali, the former General Manager had claimed that former President GR, who at the time of the project was the Secretary of Defence, should be made the first respondent in the case. Also, she had noted that popular artistes Bathiya and Santhush (BNS) should also be made respondents in the case.

She had noted that she had been given only five days to organise the event and that at the time, State officials faced a threat to life apart from the issue of job security.

However, the former General Manager had noted that she was prepared to reveal all details in a confidential statement to the court.

Chamara’s challenge

Meanwhile, Opposition MP Chamara Sampath Dasanayake, who was recently released from prison after being granted bail, has once again challenged the Government to capture at least one rogue.

Referring to an incident where he had acted against a financial irregularity at Lanka Phosphate when he was the Minister-in-charge, Dasanayake said: “I was the one who revealed the robbery that had taken place at Lanka Phosphate where a bush worth Rs. 350 had been purchased for Rs. 70,000. It was then that the workers assaulted the relevant official and interdicted him. Now there’s a case against me before the Supreme Court and a case filed seeking compensation before the Attanagalla Court.”

He further noted that while he had managed to catch a rogue, the Government had failed to even catch one rogue. 

Jail talk in the House

The ongoing investigations, court verdicts, and jailing of former ministers resulted in much talk about probes, cases, and punishments during last week’s parliamentary session. While the Government side spoke of ongoing probes and action being taken, the Opposition noted that several ministers in the incumbent Government would also face similar fates with them having to wear the ‘jumper’ (jail attire) in the near future.

It was Opposition MP Dasanayake who led the charge against the Government ministers during last week’s parliamentary sessions. While pointing out the alleged misdoings of the Government and ministers who would be jailed in the future, he added that he would be returned to jail once again next month for taking a strong stand when criticising the Government. 

“I will be sent back to jail next month. I’m sure of it. Anyone who speaks against the Government is sent to jail. I’m ready for it since someone has to say these things,” the MP had claimed. 

He had stated in the House that the Justice Minister would be in a ‘jumper’ in the future over statements made by him.

Later on, he had pointed out an incident where the Government had been accused of wasting public funds. He told Parliament last Wednesday (4) that the ‘Monkey Minister’ (Rila Amathi) – in reference to the Agriculture Minister – should be jailed for 40 years for wasting millions of rupees in public funds for a monkey census and that there was no final report on the census thus far.

The Opposition MP had also claimed that Ministers Sunil Handunnetti and Wasantha Samarasinghe would also face future probes over some of their actions.

“We will make the ‘Rila Amathi’ wear a jumper for spending over Rs. 100 million on a monkey census,” he had said, adding: “Minister Sunil Handunnetti will also face consequences for his involvement in the sugar scam. We will ensure justice is served.”

Dasanayake had accused Samarasinghe of being involved in a fraudulent real estate transaction. “Minister Samarasinghe is among the most corrupt in the current Government. He is referred to as ‘Deal Wasantha’ by some protesters,” he had claimed.

Minister Samarasinghe however countered Dasanayake’s claim by challenging him to expose any wrongdoing by him.

Harshana’s warning

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara warned the media, saying that it should not use media freedom to achieve personal agendas. He noted that it had been observed that certain media institutions were abusing their freedom by spreading false information.

“No matter what you say, your brother will not receive a presidential pardon. You will not be able to receive a presidential pardon by spreading false information against us or individuals through your media,” Nanayakkara had said, referring to a private media outlet owned by the brother of a former politician serving a jail term.

Nanayakkara further noted that those found to be abusing media freedom would be strictly dealt with through legal means.

Petitions against RW

Meanwhile, two petitions filed before the Supreme Court that have cited former President Wickremesinghe as a respondent are to be taken up for hearing. The two petitions have claimed that the Fundamental Rights of the petitioners have been violated by the then Government and then Finance Minister (Wickremesinghe) by issuing liquor licences after the Presidential Election was announced last year.

The other respondents are Finance Ministry Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana and former Commissioner General of Excise M.J. Gunasiri.

The Supreme Court has ordered the Commissioner General of Excise to submit details of liquor licences that were issued during the period between the date the Presidential Election was announced and the date of the polls.

The petitions are being considered by a three-judge bench consisting of Yasantha Kodagoda, Janak de Silva, and Mahinda Samayawardhena. The petitions are to be taken up for hearing on 19 November.

Dayasiri’s quick apology

Meanwhile, Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekara seemed to be courting legal action, with the North Central Provincial Council stating that legal action would be initiated against the MP over statements made by him over the recent sale of vehicles belonging to the council. However, Jayasekara later apologised for his statement, preventing any moves for litigation against him over the statement made by him.

Jayasekara had alleged earlier last week that the State had suffered a loss exceeding Rs. 200 million from the recent sale of North Central Provincial Council vehicles.

The MP had told the media that the Government had earned only Rs. 28 million from the sale of 12 vehicles, which included a BMW and several Toyota Prado SUVs. “A BMW alone is valued at around Rs. 35 million, while a Prado is worth around Rs. 20.5 million on the market. The total value of the fleet could have been around Rs. 310 million if sold at market prices. However, the actual proceeds had amounted to just Rs. 28 million,” he had said.

According to Jayasekara, the significant shortfall was due to the Government’s decision to base the sale prices on depreciated values, rather than factoring in insurance valuations and import duties, which would have more accurately reflected current market values. 

“The core issue is that the Government treated the depreciated value as the actual value. In reality, they should have calculated the price based on the insurance value and added the applicable vehicle duties. Had this approach been followed, the revenue could have reached Rs. 310 million,” he had noted.

Jayasekara had further pointed out a procedural inconsistency, noting that while authorities previously stated that excess Government vehicles would be disposed of via auctions, these vehicles had in fact been sold through a tender process.

However, the North Central Provincial Council has denied Jayasekara’s allegations, stating that his claims are false and defamatory.

Council officials told the media last week that the vehicles had been disposed of through a proper tender process, not a secretive auction as alleged. They asserted that the BMW in question had been sold for Rs. 21.8 million more than its Government-assessed value, and that the full tender process had brought in Rs. 123 million in revenue to the Government. Officials had added that they would initiate legal action against Jayasekara for spreading false information.

On Tuesday (3), Jayasekara had apologised for his earlier claim that a BMW belonging to the North Central Provincial Council had been sold for under Rs. 5 million, admitting that the information he had relied on was incorrect.

He had told the media that he had been misled by inaccurate reports published in newspapers and that, as a responsible politician, he was committed to correcting the record. “I accept the mistake and am taking steps to correct it,” Jayasekara had stated, adding that he had requested media outlets that carried the original statement to update it with accurate information.

Dayasiri before CID

However, Jayasekara was summoned before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) twice last week to record statements.

The first instance was with regard to the financial assistance received by him from the President’s Fund.

Jayasekara had on an earlier occasion also offered to repay the amount he had received from the President’s Fund.

The second instance was to record a statement over comments made by him with regard to the release of 323 containers by Customs that has caused much public controversy.

Checking mistresses

Meanwhile, Minister Handunnetti has alleged that the monies accrued by members of the former Government were sometimes in the possession of their mistresses and drivers. The Minister has made this claim in Parliament referring to the alleged financial mismanagement by former ministers.

“Former Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa once advised me in Parliament that probes have to be carried out on drivers, mistresses, and relatives of former ministers as they often transfer their assets to them,” Handunnetti has noted.

He has further pointed to an incident where a land next to the JVP Headquarters in Pelawatte belonged to a former Minister who had purchased it under his driver’s name. “We saw the Minister’s wife once engaged in a fight with the driver outside the land when the driver had refused to return the asset,” Handunnetti added.

Dismissing appeal

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has reportedly dismissed an appeal filed by Opposition MP Ravi Karunanayake, ruling that he had no right to challenge an interim order of the High Court which allowed bribery charges against him to proceed. The Supreme Court had noted that the right to appeal was not automatic, but must be expressly granted by law.

Karunanayake and businessman Arjun Aloysius were indicted by the CIABOC over alleged rent payments and benefits amounting to over Rs. 11 million between February and September 2016.

The accused had argued that a Cabinet minister cannot be prosecuted under the Bribery Act due to conflicting definitions in the Constitution. The High Court had rejected this objection and Karunanayake had sought to appeal that decision.

However, the Supreme Court had ruled that the accused could only appeal after conviction and not against interim orders while also noting that the failure to name the Director General of CIABOC as a party in the earlier appeal rendered it legally flawed.

The appeal was dismissed and Karunanayake was ordered to pay Rs. 100,000 in legal costs.

Bond scam returns

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday (4) had also overturned a previous ruling by the Court of Appeal that nullified the Attorney General’s decision to name former Minister Karunanayake as an accused in a case related to the 2015-2016 Central Bank bond transactions.

This case, filed under the Offences Against Public Property Act, was being heard before a three-judge bench of the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar. The Supreme Court had delivered its ruling in response to a special appeal filed by the Attorney General.

The judgment was delivered by Justice Mahinda Samayawardhena with the concurrence of Justices S. Thurairaja and Janak de Silva.

The court ruled that the Court of Appeal’s decision, which had invalidated the Attorney General’s move to name Karunanayake as an accused in the relevant cases, be set aside and that the writ petition filed by Karunanayake in relation to that decision be dismissed.

Indicting Mervyn, Chandrani

Meanwhile, two former Ministers, Mervyn Silva and Chandrani Bandara, were indicted before court last week over alleged irregularities committed by them during their tenures as Ministers.

Silva was indicted before the Colombo High Court on Friday (6) over a case filed by CIABOC over the alleged possession of cash and assets exceeding Rs. 800 million in contravention of his declared legitimate income.

Bandara was indicted before the Colombo High Court over alleged irregular appointments made in 2019 during her tenure as Minister of Women and Child Affairs and Dry Zone Development. The CIABOC has reportedly filed an indictment against Bandara on 11 charges, alleging that offences under Section 70 of the Bribery Act had been committed between 14 and 31 January 2019.

The former Minister was granted bail and ordered to be released on two sureties of Rs. 1 million each when the case was taken up before court on Friday (6). The case has been fixed for 20 June.

Sewing and weaving ministers

Meanwhile, former Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando, who are facing jail terms following a High Court order, have commenced work assigned to them in prison as part of their punishment, it is learnt.

Aluthgamage, it is learnt, has been assigned work in the prison’s sewing division, where jumpers worn by prisoners are being sworn. Fernando meanwhile is engaged in weaving bedsheets for prisoners in the spinning and weaving division. The work day is from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

After concluding their day’s work, Aluthgamage and Fernando are returned to the ‘K’ ward at the Welikada Prison, where former Chief Minister S.M. Ranjith and about 100 other inmates are being held as well.

Keheliya indictment

Meanwhile, former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and his son Ramith, who were remanded last month, were granted bail on Tuesday (3).

Rambukwella, who was arrested and remanded for allegedly causing a financial loss of over Rs. 8 million to the Government during his tenure as the Minister of Mass Media, Health, and Environment, was released on bail. The Colombo Magistrate’s Court had also ordered the release of Rambukwella’s son, Ramith, and one of his former Coordinating Secretaries, Nishantha Bandara Basnayake, who are also named in the case filed by CIABOC.

However, the Attorney General had on Tuesday (3) informed the Supreme Court that former Minister Rambukwella and the other accused in the case filed over the alleged importation of substandard human immunoglobulin vaccines would be indicted before a three-member bench of High Court judges this coming week.

Deputy Solicitor General Nirmalan Wigneswaran, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, had made this statement during the hearing of an FR petition that has named Rambukwella and several others as respondents.

Cases re-called

Meanwhile, cases against two former Ministers, Rajitha Senaratne and Johnston Fernando, are to be re-called in the coming months.

Colombo High Court Judge Navaratne Marasinghe had on Tuesday (3) ordered the re-call of the case against former Fisheries Minister Senaratne and three others on 29 August. The case is related to allegations of financial misconduct related to the 2014 lease of the Modara Fisheries Harbour to a private company.

The legal representative for the CIABOC had informed the court of the need to amend the charge sheet when the case was taken up. The Judge had granted approval to the requested amendment and had scheduled the case to be re-called later this year.

The case has named Senaratne, former Chairman of the Ceylon Fisheries Harbour Corporation Upali Liyanage, and the corporation’s former Managing Director Neil Ravindra Munasinghe as defendants.

Also, the case filed by the CIABOC against former Minister Fernando and two others is to also be taken up for hearing again before the Colombo High Court on 1 October.

The CIABOC had filed the case against former Minister Fernando, former Chairman of Lanka Sathosa Eraj Fernando, and former Working Director of Lanka Sathosa Mohamed Shakeer for allegedly using 153 employees of Lanka Sathosa in political activities while Johnston Fernando was serving as a Minister between 2010 and 2014, thereby causing a loss to the Government.

Tightening exit points

It is in this backdrop that the Government has called on law enforcement authorities to ensure that tight security measures are put in place in ports and airports in the country to prevent politicians, their relatives, and officials facing corruption and fraud accusations from fleeing the country amidst the expedited investigations. 

This move has been prompted following information from intelligence units that there were attempts being made by some politicians and officials facing corruption and fraud accusations to flee the country.

Accordingly, law enforcement authorities have provided the necessary details and guidelines to immigration and emigration officials at the country’s exit points. It is learnt there are around 20 individuals currently being monitored over the possibility of fleeing the country.

Intelligence units have also alerted officials about a group of boatmen who have aided underworld figures in fleeing the country and the Police is currently engaged in probes to take these individuals into custody.