Sri Lanka’s Parliament exploded on yet another occasion, this time calling for the sacking of its head of COPE which is tasked with Investigating corruption and financial misdeeds at public institutions.
The demand to replace COPE head Ranjith Bandara were made by Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and Members of Parliament Hesha Withanage and Nalin Bandara.
The trio charged in Parliament that COPE chairman Ranjith Bandara during questioning of corruption tainted cricket officials on Wednesday had gestured to them (cricket officials) with his finger on his lips to refrain from answering what they called “tough questions”.
“COPE has also sold itself to the dictates of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and should be replaced before the next hearing”, said Premadasa.
In a statement, COPE head Ranjith Bandara denied he sided with SLC officials and called on Parliamentarians not to politicise the investigative body.
The factor that was taken up by COPE centered around an expenditure of Rs 68 million spent on 14 SLC officials to travel and lodge in Australia for the T20 World Cup last October/November that ended in disaster for the team some of whose players were involved in casino brawls and sex frolicks.
It was revealed that Shammi Silva the head of SLC had exploited the occasion to ensure that some of his relatives make the trip to Australia, while vice president of SLC Jayantha Dharmadasa had facilitated the passages of two of his film star female associates.
Dharmadasa was not present at the hearing.
COPE which stands for Committe on Public Enterprise, is a Parliamentary body and will next sit at a hearing in January to further probe financial misdeeds in cricket.
