Bribery probe against Sujeewa Senasinghe

Oct 01, 2017

Former deputy minister of justice, lawyer Sujeewa Senasinghe is facing a probe by the Bribery Commission over the filling of a marshy land, Katakalagaha Owita, at Malabe in Kaduwela.

He is accused of having misused a Supreme Court ruling and political powers to fake documents to grant legal recognition to the said land filling, disregarding the recommendations of the agrarian commissioner, faking stamp on the plan of the land. etc.

Senasinghe had bought the land from another person, who received his money only after making regular requests to him. Senasinghe filed a case (FR no 181/2013) in the Supreme Court seeking an order to fill the land and noting it was not a paddy land. The verdict was delivered on 27.07.2017.

The ruling notes the land was not suitable for paddy farming, but it gives no permission to fill the land. On a request by Senasinghe, the agriarian development commissioner too, confirmed that. But, disregarding both, he filled the marshy land. Normally, permission from several state institutions has to be obtained for a landfilling. Area resident L.A.D.M. Indraseela complained against the him on 28 December 2015. The investigation started on 04 September 2017, with a statement being recorded from him. He explained to the commission that no action has been taken despite complaints to Nawagamuwa police.

He also alleged the state minister had used state resources to fill the land, and that he had used faked documents and stamps.

Daya Nettasinghe - Sathhanda