NEGOMBO — Formal complaints submitted to Sri Lanka’s Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and the relevant ministry have called for an investigation into the alleged irregular leasing of approximately six acres of public land at Ettukala Beach Park in Negombo.
The complaints also raise allegations that an Urban Development Authority (UDA) official and his family received a month-long European holiday financed by a private company allegedly connected to the lease.
According to complaint letters received by The Morning Telegraph, the allegations concern the leasing of valuable beachfront property to ANIMA VESTRA LEISURE (PVT) LTD and question whether the transaction complied with the required legal and administrative procedures.
The complainant has requested an investigation into both the land transaction and the source of funding for the alleged overseas trip.
The allegations have not been independently established, and the filing of a complaint does not constitute evidence that a criminal offence has been committed.
Complaints Submitted to the Bribery Commission
According to the documents reviewed by The Morning Telegraph, K. A. D. Sumathipala, a resident of Beach Road, Negombo, submitted written complaints on October 30, 2026.
The correspondence was addressed to the Director General of CIABOC and the Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development.
Sumathipala alleges that approximately six acres of land forming part of Ettukala Beach Park were leased to a private company without the transparent procedures ordinarily expected for transactions involving valuable public property.
The complaint questions whether the relevant approvals were obtained, how the company was selected and whether the leasing process complied with the applicable legal requirements.
It also requests scrutiny of the role played by officials associated with the transaction.
No determination concerning the legality of the alleged lease has been established by the material provided.
Public Land at the Centre of the Dispute
Ettukala Beach Park occupies a prominent location along Negombo’s tourism coastline.
The property’s public significance is reflected in an earlier Cabinet decision concerning its development.
Official Cabinet records identify Ettukala Beach Park, also known as Browns Beach, as a property extending over approximately six acres, one rood and 9.1 perches.
The Cabinet decision concerned vesting the land in the Urban Development Authority for development as a public beach park.
The property was also identified as being located within a high-density tourism promotion zone under the Negombo Development Plan 2021–2030.
These circumstances make the land’s subsequent administration and any proposed commercial use matters of legitimate public interest.
A lease involving such property should be capable of examination through the relevant approvals, valuation documents, selection records and contractual terms.
The existence of a commercial lease, however, would not automatically establish wrongdoing.
The central question is whether the particular transaction followed the procedures legally applicable to the land and the proposed development.
Allegations Involving a UDA Official and Former Mayor
The complaints received by The Morning Telegraph identify a UDA director named Anura Prasanna and former Negombo Mayor Nimal Lanza in connection with allegations surrounding the transaction.
According to the complainant, information received by him suggests that the two individuals were involved in arrangements through which an improper benefit was allegedly obtained in connection with the leasing of the beachfront property.
The complaint specifically alleges that Prasanna and members of his family undertook a European holiday lasting approximately one month.
It further claims that the trip was arranged through the intervention of Lanza and that its expenses were covered by ANIMA VESTRA LEISURE (PVT) LTD, the company identified in the complaint as the beneficiary of the land lease.
These are allegations made by the complainant. The material reviewed does not independently establish who organised the alleged journey, whether the company financed it or whether any expenditure was connected to an official decision.
There is also no established finding in the supplied material that either named individual received an unlawful benefit.
Nevertheless, the complaint raises questions that investigators could examine through travel records, financial documentation and evidence concerning the land transaction.
Alleged European Holiday Requires Financial Scrutiny
The most serious aspect of the complaint is the proposed connection between the alleged overseas holiday and the leasing of public land.
Sumathipala asks the authorities to establish who paid for the travel, accommodation and other expenses associated with the reported visit to European countries.
The investigation requested would need to determine whether the trip took place as described, identify its funding sources and examine whether any payment or benefit was linked to the exercise of official authority.
Where a public official is alleged to have received a benefit from a party involved in a government transaction, the circumstances warrant appropriate examination.
However, the existence of overseas travel or private sponsorship would not, without additional evidence, establish bribery.
Investigators would need to assess the relevant financial transactions, official responsibilities, timing and any connection between the alleged benefit and decisions relating to the lease.
The complainant has specifically asked CIABOC to examine whether such a connection existed.
Was the Required Leasing Procedure Followed?
The complaints also challenge the transparency of the process through which the Ettukala Beach Park property was allegedly leased.
Government decisions concerning UDA land have previously emphasised formal procurement procedures for selecting investors for certain long-term development leases.
Whether those requirements applied to this particular transaction must be established from the relevant legal instruments, Cabinet decisions and contractual records.
Several matters would therefore require examination:
- Authority to lease the land: Whether the UDA or another relevant institution possessed the required authority to enter into the transaction.
- Selection of the private company: Whether a competitive process, request for proposals or another legally permitted selection method was followed.
- Valuation of the property: Whether the financial terms were supported by an appropriate valuation.
- Government approvals: Whether all approvals required for the particular transaction were obtained.
- Terms of the lease: Whether the agreement protected the public interest, including any conditions concerning development and public access.
- Potential conflicts of interest: Whether any official involved in the decision-making process had a financial or personal interest requiring disclosure.
These questions can be examined through official records rather than speculation.
The complaint’s allegation that proper procedure was not followed remains unproven until the relevant documentation has been assessed.
Company Named in the Complaints
ANIMA VESTRA LEISURE (PVT) LTD is identified in the complaint as the private company associated with the alleged lease.
The complainant further alleges that the company funded the European holiday said to have been undertaken by Prasanna and his family.
The Morning Telegraph has not independently verified that alleged payment arrangement.
An investigation would need to establish the company’s precise relationship to the property, examine the relevant lease documentation and determine whether any payments associated with the alleged trip were made.
The identification of the company in a complaint does not establish that it participated in bribery or another unlawful transaction.
Any findings must rest on documentary evidence and the applicable law.
Complainant Calls for Expedited Investigation
Sumathipala has requested that CIABOC and the relevant ministry conduct a comprehensive investigation into the alleged irregularities.
His complaints seek scrutiny of the land-leasing process, the roles of the individuals named and the circumstances surrounding the reported European holiday.
He has also requested appropriate legal action if investigators establish that offences occurred.
The issues raised involve both the management of public property and the standards of conduct expected from officials exercising authority over valuable state assets.
Transparent handling of such complaints is important for maintaining confidence in public land administration.
Equally, the rights of those accused must be respected, including the opportunity to respond to the allegations and to have any claims assessed through a fair investigative process.
Public Accountability Depends on the Evidence
The Ettukala Beach Park complaints concern land recognised in official government records as an important public asset within Negombo’s tourism development area.
Their significance lies not only in the allegations of bribery but also in the need to establish whether decisions concerning public property were taken lawfully and transparently.
CIABOC and the relevant administrative authorities have been asked to examine the transaction and the alleged overseas benefit.
The next meaningful development will depend on whether the complaints lead to formal investigative action and what the underlying records reveal.
For the public, the essential questions are straightforward: how was the land allocated, who authorised the transaction, what financial terms were agreed, and is there credible evidence connecting any private benefit to an official decision?
Those questions deserve answers based on verified documents and lawful investigation.
Until then, the allegations remain allegations, and no conclusion of wrongdoing can responsibly be drawn against the individuals or company named.
