Ex-President Ranil summoned by Bribery Commission

Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has been summoned to appear before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) on April 17 in connection with a statement he made regarding the bribery case against New Democratic Front MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake.

The request was made via an official letter sent by CIABOC’s Assistant Director General, Asitha Anthony.

In his earlier remarks, Wickremesinghe stated that, during his tenure as Prime Minister, a Treasury circular approved by then-President Maithripala Sirisena prohibited Provincial Councils from placing funds in fixed deposit accounts, instructing instead that funds be utilized within the financial year or returned to the Treasury.

He said this decision was communicated to Chamara Sampath, who was then Uva Province Chief Minister, and other provincial leaders, resulting in the withdrawal of such deposits.