The Committee on Public Finance has recommended increasing the remuneration of senior officials of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), aligning it with the salary structure applicable to the President of the Court of Appeal.
The committee, chaired by Dr. Harsha de Silva, stated that the remuneration of the Commission’s Chairperson, two members and Director General should be determined in accordance with the relevant salary scale.
The committee also highlighted administrative shortcomings that have prevented the Bribery Commission from accessing funds allocated through the national budget.
Although the Ministry of Finance had requested the submission of budget estimates, the Commission was required under the Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 of 2023 to submit its annual budget estimates directly to the Speaker of Parliament.
The committee was also informed that, of the 971 approved positions at the Commission, only 427 had been filled as of June 30, leaving 544 vacancies.
Meanwhile, the Commission has informed the committee that it is taking steps to expedite the resolution of older cases, particularly those involving offences committed up to 20 years ago and subject to statutory time limits.
The Commission has also introduced measures requiring preliminary investigations to be completed within one month to accelerate the overall investigative process.
Under Section 26 of the Anti-Corruption Act, a dedicated fund was established to cover expenses related to contract-based staff and witnesses. However, additional financial requirements have been met through allocations from the Consolidated Fund.
The committee further noted that the Commission expects to receive additional funds during the year from the proceeds of seized property and assets.
