The Leader of the National People’s Power (NPP) Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the statement made by former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe about the Anti-Corruption Committee was completely untrue.
Testifying before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Political Victimization when the complaint lodged by the former Divi Neguma Director General Kithsiri Ranawaka was heard today, Parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the evidence given by the former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe before the Commission that the Anti-Corruption Committee was set up with the approval of the National Executive Council is false.
The lawyer appearing for MP Anura Kumara asked whether he was aware that the Anti-Corruption Committee was established in November or December 2016 as former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has stated in his testimony.
“I state with the utmost responsibility that I participated in the National Executive Council after January 8, 2015. I am not basing only on his testimony. I have noticed a mentioning of a cabinet memorandum in the notes submitted by Dr. Nihal Jayatilleke. I am commenting on this on the basis of both the cabinet memorandum and the testimony given by the former Prime Minister,” Dissanayake said.
He added, “I saw in that evidence that the former Prime Minister had said that this had been approved by the National Executive Council. It is completely untrue.”
Mr. Dissanayake emphasized that this is the first time he has seen such a cabinet paper in the file of Dr. Nihal Jayatilleke. The lawyer asked him if he had discussed a cabinet paper on the National Executive Council.
Mr. Dissanayake replied, “No discussion took place. No such cabinet paper was presented at any of my meetings.”
He further said, “Nowhere in the testimony of the former Prime Minister does it say who presented it to the National Executive Council. The President is the head of the National Executive Council. If it is approved by the National Executive Council, I believe it should go through the President. No document was submitted to the National Executive Council. “
Chairman of the Commission, former Supreme Court Judge Upali Abeyratne asked Anura Kumara Dissanayake what the Prime Minister was trying to convey to the Cabinet by applying such a word “with the approval of the National Executive Council” to the Cabinet Paper.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake replied, “I cannot read the mind of the former Prime Minister so well, no one can.”
He said that there could be two interpretations. It could be said that the Anti-Corruption Committee was set up with the approval of the National Executive Council or that “it was not me, the National Executive Council set up the Anti-Corruption Committee.”
The lawyer asked Dissanayake whether there was a suggestion to grant him membership of a committee such as the Anti-Corruption Committee or to say that he was not reluctant to be appointed to such a committee.
Mr. Dissanayake said there was no suggestion that he should be included in such a committee. “I do not know if my name will be mentioned in a cabinet paper to be tabled in a week. I did not get a chance to make such a proposal to the Prime Minister because I have not seen this,” he said in response.
Mr. Anura Kumara Dissanayake testifying before the Commission stated that he was not aware of any facts regarding his appointment as the Coordinator of the Anti-Corruption Committee Quick Response Committee and that he never represented or coordinated it.
Meanwhile, former Minister Malik Samarawickrema stated today that he was not aware that he had been appointed as a member of the Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat set up under the leadership of former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Malik Samarawickrema further stated that he has never participated in the meetings of the Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat.
Former Director General of the Tourism Development Authority DS Jayaweera also testified before the Commission today.
Mr. Jayaweera has complained to the Commission that the Development Authority had filed false allegations against a tourism promotion program implemented by the Tourism Development Authority during the period of good governance with the intention of seeking political revenge.
As revealed in the previous evidence before the Commission, facts regarding the payments and service letters regarding Additional Solicitor General Thusith Mudalige were also revealed before the Commission today.
Mr. Jayaweera stated before the Commission that members of the Anti-Corruption Committee, including Mr. Thusith Mudalige, have received salaries and allowances to maintain the office of the Anti-Corruption Committee even after the expiry of the approval period received from the Cabinet. He further stated that government property has been misused criminally.
Courtesy: Colombo Page
