A staggering $250 million bribe may have sabotaged Sri Lanka’s efforts to claim compensation over the X-Press Pearl maritime disaster, with the investigation now mysteriously stalled. Allegations point to deleted messages, political interference, and calls for a full-scale probe by the Supreme Court.
The investigation into the alleged $250 million (Rs. 7,500 million) bribe paid to derail the compensation process for the X-Press Pearl maritime disaster has reportedly come to a standstill, raising concerns of a deliberate cover-up.
Initial information was received by former Deputy Minister and then Chair of the Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on the Environment via a WhatsApp message. He reportedly forwarded this to the then Minister of Justice, prompting further action.
Following this, the CEO of the Marine Environmental Authority lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department, launching a formal investigation into the alleged bribe aimed at undermining compensation claims related to the environmental catastrophe.
When questioned by the CID, the former Deputy Minister said the original WhatsApp message had been deleted from his phone, but confirmed that it had been shared with the then Justice Minister. The Justice Minister subsequently provided the information to CID, which filed an initial report with the court.
The case also caught the attention of the Supreme Court, where Justice Yasantha Kodagoda raised concerns during a Fundamental Rights petition hearing, stressing the need for further inquiry.
Separately, the former Chair of the Marine Environmental Authority told a parliamentary committee that a chief of staff and a minister attached to the then Presidential Secretariat allegedly advised that ship-related reimbursements be made in Sri Lankan rupees instead of US dollars.
In its final ruling, the Supreme Court underlined the necessity of a proper and thorough investigation into all related aspects of the case, including the possibility of interference and suppression of critical evidence.
