Deputy Minister of Labor Mahinda Jayasinghe defended Minister Kumara Jayakody, insisting that fraud accusations tied to his past role at the Fertilizer Corporation were the fault of lower officials, not Jayakody, who had only signed an approval.
Colombo, August 22 – Deputy Minister of Labor Mahinda Jayasinghe has strongly refuted opposition claims that Minister Kumara Jayakody was involved in fraudulent activities during his tenure as an executive at the Fertilizer Corporation in 2015.
Jayasinghe stated that the fraud in question was carried out by lower-ranking officials and that Jayakody, in his capacity as a senior executive, had merely signed off on an official approval. He emphasized that Jayakody had no direct involvement in the misconduct.
The Deputy Minister further explained that Jayakody had been demoted from his position during the investigation but was later reinstated. However, Jayakody chose not to return to the post, signaling his unwillingness to be entangled in the controversy.
Jayasinghe accused the opposition of deliberately misrepresenting facts to tarnish Jayakody’s political image, pointing out that investigations had already cleared him of wrongdoing.
The defense of Jayakody comes as political tensions escalate, with the opposition pressing corruption charges while government allies rally to protect their ministers.
