Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe is scheduled to appear before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) on Monday, April 28, in connection with a statement he made regarding MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, his legal team has informed the Commission.
Wickremesinghe is expected to appear at the CIABOC office at 9:30 a.m.
He was initially summoned by the Commission on April 17 over comments he made concerning the bribery case filed against New Democratic Front MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake. However, Wickremesinghe requested a new date, citing the unavailability of his attorneys in Colombo during the New Year holiday period. The Commission subsequently rescheduled the hearing for April 25, and has now confirmed the new date as April 28.
On April 7, the former President publicly stated that MP Dassanayake had withdrawn fixed deposits belonging to the Uva Provincial Council based on a circular issued during Wickremesinghe’s tenure as Prime Minister. He questioned whether the MP’s arrest was politically motivated due to his vocal criticism of the government in Parliament.
MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake remains in remand custody over three separate corruption-related charges. He was initially arrested on March 27 for allegedly misappropriating Rs. 1 million from the Uva Provincial Council in 2016. Although the Colombo Magistrate’s Court granted him bail in the related cases, he continues to be held under a remand order issued by the Badulla Magistrate’s Court.
According to CIABOC, Dassanayake is accused of soliciting funds from three state banks under the pretext of providing school bags to preschool children in the province. Two of the banks complied, granting him Rs. 1 million and Rs. 2.5 million, respectively, which were later transferred to his personal foundation account. When a third bank refused the request, Dassanayake allegedly withdrew the Council’s fixed deposits from that institution in retaliation.
CIABOC has filed a case against him, citing a financial loss of Rs. 17.3 million to the government as a result of his actions.
