Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has requested the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) to investigate and find out how Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe amassed as much as Rs 275 mn.
SJB leader Sajith Premadasa has asked the SJB’s Anti-Corruption Movement (ACM) to go ahead with its move in the wake of disclosure of Samarasinghe’s asset declaration for 2025. Asset declarations are mandatory for all members of Parliament.
Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahman, who heads the ACM, told The Island that the SJB had raised the issue with CIABOC’s Director General, High Court Judge Ranga Dissanayake, who assumed office as the new Director General on 10 January, this year.
Rahman vowed that the SJB would go all out on the issue at hand as the NPP accused all other political parties of corruption, at all levels, over the years.
Referring to the continuing controversy over asset declarations made by several other NPP ministers, MP Rahman said that the SJB had asked CIABOC to also inquire into Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Minister Sunil Handunetti, Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake, Health and Mass Media Minister and Cabinet spokesman Dr. Nalinda Jayathissa, Energy Minister Punyasiri Jayakody and Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs and Attorney-at-Law Sunil Watagala.
Former UNPer Rahman said that Minister Samarasinghe’s feeble explanations via various television channels and social media platforms with regard to Rs 275 mn in assets were a stark reminder of the challenges faced by CIABOC and the Attorney General. Responding to The Island queries, MP Rahman said that it would be the responsibility of the CIABOC, as well as Parliament, to ascertaub the truth.
By Shamindra Ferdinando