Members of the Joint Opposition arrived at the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, to call on the commission to open an investigation to ascertain the irregularities which occurred during the bond issuance, and the Prime Minister’s involvement in it.
Eleven members of the Joint opposition arrived at the bribery commission to lodge the complaint.
The complaint was based on seven documents, including the Auditor General’s report as included in the COPE Report.
The complain has also cited the excerpts of the COPE report which mentions the evidence given by former Central Bank Governor during questioning on February 27, 2015, saying that he was instructed by the Prime Minister during the bond issuance.
The joint opposition says this has been further affirmed through the evidence which was presented by Central Bank Deputy Governor P.N. Weerasinghe.
Lodging a complaint with the Commission to Investigate Bribery or Corruption the Joint Opposition requested that an investigation be launch to ascertain whether Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was involved in the transaction, to confiscate the monies which were earned through the bond scam and to take legal action against Arjun Aloysius and Arjuna Mahendran.
Talking on the matter, UPFA MP Bandula Gunawardena said, the losses which were incurred by the country surpasses 1000 billion rupees, and that the PM who appointed the Central Bank Governor should temporarily step down until investigations conclude or he should allow a fair investigation.
“We are requesting that the Former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran be arrested upon his arrival from Singapore, and investigations be launched thereafter,” he added.
United People’s Freedom Alliance’s MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara said, all provisions for legal action against the former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran, as well as the Prime minister have been established through this.
Meanwhile, the Lanka Sama Samaja Party leader Prof. Tissa Vitharana said, the Central Bank was always under the purview of the Minister of Finance, the Central Bank was then taken under the prime minister’s purview, and that after they see Arjuna Mahendran being appointed as the central bank governor.
“This clearly shows, that a pre-meditated plan is coming into fruition”, he added.
Former COPE Chairman D.E.W Gunasekara said, nothing will happen since Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is the minister in charge of the Central Bank and that what should be done is that a Presidential Commission should be established. The president cant escape this, he said.
JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said, there is evidence which was presented by Arjuna Mahendran and that the evidence clearly states that the prime minister had given him instructions. Therefore there is no way the prime minister can escape this, he said.
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