The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has arrested former Minister of Tourism and Aviation, Prasanna Ranatunga, over allegations of financial misconduct involving the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation.
According to the Bribery Commission, the former minister was taken into custody this morning and will be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court later today.
Investigations have revealed that during his tenure in 2021, Ranatunga had allegedly intervened in the appointment of My Insurance Brokers, a private firm, to manage insurance schemes for employees of institutions under the Tourism Ministry — including the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, the Sri Lanka Hotel Management Corporation, and the Sri Lanka Conventions Bureau.
The Bribery Commission claims that this move led to the payment of Rs. 4,750,828.72 in commissions to the broker, resulting in an undue gain to the company and a corresponding loss to the state-owned Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation.
CIABOC stated that the offence falls under Section 70 of the Bribery Act, which deals with corruption and abuse of public office for personal or third-party gain.
