On February 6th 2024, an Alumnus of Royal College Colombo (RC) wrote to then Principal Mr Thilak Waththuhewa, seeking information under the Right to Information Act, (RTI) about a financial fraud , alleged to be circa Rs17 .6 million, which had taken place at the Royal College Union (RCU) in 2017 & 2018. The Principal is the ex officio President of the RCU. This Heist is believed to be from the funds collected by RCU officials as entry fees to RC’s Rugby Team’s inter school matches. RCU, as declared by themselves, is a private company, allegedly not associated with RC, collects gate money on behalf of the Principal and the School.
They did not hand the money so collected over to the School but banked them into their own account/s. Although the Principal is the one and only Custodian of the School’s funds, however generated, this Private Company DID NOT account to the Principal for the funds collected by them from Rugby matches.
Since the Principal did not respond, the Alumnus wrote to the Secretary Ministry of Education (MOE) (after the stipulated two weeks). The Secretary ,too ,failed to respond. Given this the Alumnus appealed to the RTI Commission on March 28th 2024, where it was registered under RTIC/Appeal/556/2024.
The Commission held its first hearing on September 6, 2024. Since then the matter has had eight (8) hearings including the last on September 4th 2025.
At the last hearing, the Commission recorded that it would deliver its ruling on the objections raised by RC/P on October 23rd, 2025. Since then the Appellant hasn’t had any intimations from the Commission, now just under 12 months.
This case is very important due to following reasons:
1. The amount stolen by the member/s of RCU’s gate money collecting team, is in excess of Rs. 17 Million – believed to be the largest ever recorded theft of funds belonging to a government school.
2. This is public money belonging to the school (the State) and not to any individual or its Old Boys Union (in this case the RCU).
3. According to the Ministry circulars, the Principal of the school is solely responsible and accountable for this money, generated by the students – members of its Rugby Team.
4. All the Principals (numbering seven (7) – including the two who were acting and the incumbent) have failed to inform the Ministry, any investigating authority or have initiated legal action to recover the funds. Is it not Dereliction of Duty or absolute negligence on the part of the Principal?
5. It is alleged that this Fraud was NOT in the public knowledge and was kept a Top Secret by parties unknown.
The Appellant, being a loyal Alumnus of RC, who values Transparency and Accountability of Public Funds, had raised eight questions which would have revealed whether the Ministry had given specific approval to a Private Company to collect and keep the money belonging to the School (State).
The RTIC is yet to deliver its ruling – now nearing 12 Months!
Will not one believe that Justice Delayed is Justice Denied!
When will we hear from RTIC ? Your guess is as good as mine!
However shouldn’t the Constitutional Council (acting on behalf of HE President) investigate the unacceptable delays that create unfairness upon the Citizens who seek justice. Apparently there seems to be NO regulator of the RTIC! So, where can one go for Justice in Sri Lanka – except to Independent Media?
Padmasena Dissanayake ’67-’74
