Sri Lanka is bracing for a major political storm as the Bribery Commission prepares to take legal action against 42 former ministers and MPs accused of corruptly accepting over Rs. 100 million in compensation for damages to their homes and properties during the Aragalaya period.
The Bribery Commission has initiated steps to prosecute these former officials under the Criminal Misuse of Public Money and Public Property Act. A senior official confirmed that the investigation stems from multiple complaints forwarded by the Presidential Secretariat, prompting a full legal review of how the compensation funds were obtained and distributed.
According to officials, the former ministers and MPs in question had allegedly received significant payments by claiming damages for incidents where their houses and properties were attacked, set on fire, or vandalised during the public unrest. These compensation claims, now under scrutiny, are suspected to involve misuse of state resources and fraudulent financial reporting.
The list of those forwarded to the Legal Division includes Nimal Lansa, Johnston Fernando, Indika Anuruddha, Milan Jayathilaka, Prasanna Ranaweera, Duminda Dissanayake, Kanaka Herath, Arundika Fernando, Prasanna Ranatunga, Ali Sabry Rahim, Kokila Gunawardena, Siripala Gamlath, S. M. Chandrasena, Sumith Udukumbura, Mohan P. De Silva, W. D. Weerasinghe, D. B. Herath, Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Wimalaweera Dissanayake, Geetha Kumarasinghe, Sampath Athukorala, Jayantha Ketagoda, Wimal Weerawansa, Kapila Nuwan Athukorala, Specialist Dr. Seetha Arambepola, Sahan Pradeep, Janaka Bandara Tennakoon, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Ashoka Priyantha, Chandima Weerakkody, Akila Ellawala, Professor Channa Jayasumana, Piyankara Jayaratne, Janaka Tissakuttiarachchi, Samanpriya Herath, Shehan Semasinghe, Premanath C. Dolawatta, Gunapala Ratnasekera, Keheliya Rambukwella, Shantha Bandara and the late Gamini Lokuge and Sanath Nishantha.
The Bribery Commission states that a formal investigation will be conducted into all files, facts will be reported to court and necessary legal action will follow.
