The Citizens’ Power Against Bribery, Corruption and Waste organisation yesterday (10) called on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to remove Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody from office following corruption indictments filed against him.

The group handed over a letter to the Presidential Secretariat demanding immediate action. Its President, Kamantha Thushara, told The Daily Morning that the ruling National People’s Power Government came to power pledging to eradicate corruption and questioned why no step had yet been taken against the Minister.

“When Ministers in earlier Governments were accused of corruption, the JVP and the NPP said those Governments were protecting the accused. The question now is whether the present administration is doing the same,” he said.

The demand follows the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption filing indictments in the Colombo High Court against Jayakody over an alleged act of corruption during his tenure as Deputy Procurement Manager at the State-owned Lanka Fertiliser Company Limited in 2016.

Investigators allege that he facilitated an unlawful benefit to a private company in relation to a carpet supply contract for warehouse premises, causing a financial loss to the Government exceeding Rs. 8.8 million. The case has been filed under Section 70(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act.

Meanwhile, NPP General Secretary and Government MP Nihal Abeysinghe recently stated that the Party would await the conclusion of the legal process before deciding on any political action, maintaining that the matter should be handled by CIABOC.

The controversy has also taken a political turn, with the main Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, preparing to move a no-confidence motion against Jayakody during the next Parliamentary week, according to MP Ajith P. Perera.

In addition, Jayakody is facing separate allegations of corruption and irregularities linked to a multi-billion-Rupee coal procurement tender for the Lakvijaya Power Plant in Norochcholai in 2026.