The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has decided to initiate investigations into two complaints involving Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne and Parliament’s suspended Deputy Secretary General Chaminda Kularatne, according to The Sunday Times.

The Commission, which met on Thursday, resolved to probe a complaint filed by Kularatne alleging corruption by the Speaker, as well as a counter-complaint by an individual identified as R. Kannan, who claims Kularatne’s appointment to the post of Deputy Secretary General was procedurally flawed and amounted to corruption.

As an initial step, CIABOC is to call for relevant documents from the Parliament of Sri Lanka. Statements are to be recorded from both Wickramaratne and Kularatne after the documents are reviewed.

Kularatne was suspended by Parliament’s Staff Advisory Committee, chaired by the Speaker, following an internal inquiry which found that he did not meet the required criteria for the post and that the appointment process was irregular.

Following his suspension, Kularatne lodged a complaint with CIABOC making multiple allegations against the Speaker, including misuse of official resources, improper allowances, interference with parliamentary administration, and obstruction of information under the Right to Information Act.

Meanwhile, concerns have been raised by Opposition MPs over a move by the Speaker’s Private Secretary to seek a report from the Secretary General of Parliament regarding Kularatne’s complaint, warning that it could potentially interfere with the ongoing CIABOC investigation.

Source: The Sunday Times