Absolute Conflict Of Interest: Maithri’s Investigator Weliamuna Must Go

May 10, 2015

Good governance activists in Sri Lanka urged the Chairman of Transparency International Sri Lanka to resign form all posts he currently holds, including the Special Presidential Task Force for the recovery of illegally acquired state assets.

Weliamuna

“Just saw the Colombo Telegraph story on the Sri Lankan Airlines inquiry – the Weliamuna report. Extremely disappointed myself. I was under the impression that the work done was voluntary – this is what was told to people with links to Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL). For your information, J. C. Weliamuna is the Chairman of TISL – still. Absolute conflict of interest.” an activist and a staff member of the Transparency International Sri Lanka told Colombo Telegraph last night.

“He must resign from all posts” another staff member and a good governance activist said.

Colombo Telegraph carried two stories ( click here and here) describing that Weliamuna was the former Executive Director of Transparency International Sri Lanka. We apologise for the error.

JC Weliamuna is the Chairman of Transparency International Sri Lanka, co-convener of the Lawyers Collective, Lawyers for democracy and a  key member of the Friday Forum. On 29th of April, he was appointed as a member of the Special Presidential Task Force for the recovery of illegally acquired state assets by President Maithripala Sirisena.

We asked Weliamuna to reveal the amount he was paid to investigate Sri Lankan Airlines – the first government-commissioned inquiry into the previous Rajapaksa regimes’s corruption and malpractices.

Three days ago Weliamuna speaking to Colombo Telegraph confirmed that he along with his team comprising three other members U.H. Palihakkara, B.A.W. Abeywardane and M.K. Bandara were paid Rs 3.5 million. At that time Colombo Telegraph did request for a breakdown from the chairman of Transparency International Sri Lanka, Weliamuna but he was not in a position to do so. A subsequent email was sent to him seeking this information. Weliamuna has not responded to that question as yet. The day before yesterday we emailed Weliamuna once again and requested him to furnish at least the amount he did receive as his fee but he is yet to respond to that question as well.

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