Ten lawyers complain to Bribery Commission against PCoI that probed political victimisation

By Saman Indrajith

Ten lawyers yesterday complained to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption against the Presidential Commission of Inquiry that looked into the incidents of political victimisation under the previous government.

The lawyers alleged in their complaint that the PCoI had exceeded its mandate and thereby caused waste of public funds. The complaint was lodged under the provisions of the CIABOC Act No 19 of 1994.

 The President appointed the Presidential Commission to investigate the incidents of political victimisation alleged to have taken place from Jan 08, 2015 to Nov 16, 2019.

 The PCoI acted in a manner exceeding its mandate and thereby caused a loss of public funds, the lawyers have alleged. As per the gazette giving it the mandate, the PCoI was entrusted with the task of investigating the incidents of political victimisation of persons of categories of public sector officials, state sector corporation officials, members of armed forces and the members of the Police. However, the PCoI had gone beyond its given mandate by widening its scope to provide relief to persons of alleged political victimisation including Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, who does not belong to any of the aforementioned categories. The Commission exceeded its mandate to recommend relief for some other politicians as well, the lawyers have complained.

 The attorneys-at-law who lodged the complaint are Senaka Perera, Namal Rajapaksa, Tambiah Jeyaratnarajah, Sainool Latufi, Achala Seneviratne, Hemantha Wickramasinghe, Upali Ratnayake, Ashoka Wijewardena and Chula Adikari.