PTL funds for MPs: decision on CIABOC investigations soon

Complaint lodged against Dayasiri to be taken up

By Shamindra Ferdinando-June 11, 2018, 12:39 pm 

Member of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIAOBOC) C. Neville Guruge yesterday said the commission would soon examine a complaint that MP Dayasiri Jayasekera had received Rs. 1 mn from Walt and Row Associates in the run-up to August 2015 parliamentary polls.

Retired SSP Guruge said so when The Island asked him whether the CIABOC had received a complaint from a person, named D.D.W. Chandradewa, that Jayasekera had received campaign funds from Walt and Row Associates, affiliated to the currently suspended primary dealer, Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL).

Guruge said that the CIABOC had to find out whether the complaint against a lawmaker receiving campaign funds came under its purview

When The Island pointed out the MP himself had admitted in Parliament that he had received Rs 1 mn from a group of companies under investigation over treasury bond scams perpetrated in 2015 and 2016, Guruge insisted the Commissioners needed time to decide on the matter.

The CIABOC comprises Justice T. B. Weerasuriya (Chairman), Justice W. Lal Ranjith Silva and C. Neville Guruge. Additional Solicitor General Sarath Jayamanne, PC, functions as the Director General of the Commission.

Asked why he had denied receiving a complaint about members of parliament receiving money from PTL and various companies affiliated to it when the issue was raised by the media at an event organised by the CIABOC in Ratnapura last Friday (June 8), Guruge said that a section of the media had misinterpreted his response. He said that he had been asked about receiving a complaint about 118 members of parliament receiving money.

"We haven’t received a complaint regarding 118 law makers so far though a complaint was made against MP Jayasekera," Guruge said, adding that the CIABOC was in the process of formulating new action plan to address the issue.

Chandradeva told Derana TV that he had lodged a complaint on May 28 in the wake of MP Jayasekera, claiming in Parliament that he was not the only lawmaker to have received money from PTL.

Guruge admitted that he had not so far seen Jayadeva’s complaint received two weeks back.

The Criminal Investigation Department has informed the Fort Magistrate’s court that State Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe received Rs. 3 mn in three installments between August 2015 to March 2016.

At that time Jayasekera received Rs. 1 mn he was not a member of the parliament though Senasinghe accepted Rs. 3 mn after being re-elected member of the current parliament. Jayasekera successfully contested August 2015 parliamentary polls.

The first treasury bond scam was carried out on Feb. 27, 2015 and the second one in late March 2016.

Guruge said the CIABOC investigated all complaints which came under its purview.

The CID also reported to courts that former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran, too, had received Rs 3.2 mn from W.M.Mendis & Company.