News

Accused of cronyism, Kirielle dares govt. members to reveal information about their bank accounts

Published

6 years ago

2020/12/10

By Saman Indrajith

Chief Opposition Whip Kandy and District MP Lakshman Kiriella, speaking in Parliament, on Tuesday (8), challenged the government MPs and Ministers to reveal details of their bank accounts.

Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella said: “Can any of the MPs and Ministers in the government ranks tell this House how much money he or she has in his or her bank account? Is there at least a single MP who can do that? At the time of our government during a budget debate I revealed how much money I have in my bank account.

“I did that and even got faulted by my wife for doing so. She asked me why I had revealed it to the House because it consisted of what had been earned from practising law for over 20 years and inherited.”

Kiriella said so after SLPP Gampaha District MP Milan Jayatilaka, participating in the budget debate on the expenditure heads of the Ministry of Highways, accused the former of having allocated funds for the Ministry of Higher Education at the expense of the Highways Ministry. “MP Kirirella was the Minister of Higher Education and highways under the yahapalana government. While allocating Rs. 134 billion for highways, only Rs 77 billion was allocated for higher education. He gave road construction to a company by the name of Olympus, which did nothing but took away the money. There is a company called Kandy Construction. Its directors are his relatives, who controlled all construction contracts, the MP said.

Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella said: If you have any suspicion you can complain to the COPE. He mentioned a company called Kandy Constructions. I do not know of a company by that name and request that member to submit the names of the directors to Parliament so that we could see whether I have my relatives there. These are lies. Usually, when a backbencher speaks, others feed him with information. We too had the same experience. I sympathise with you. In 2017, the JVP brought a motion against me, making various allegations. In response to them, I revealed the figures of all money I have in bank accounts. Can you do the same?”

Opposition MPs shouted that they could.

Kiriella: So get up and tell the House how much you have in your account.

Transport Services State Minister Dilum Amunugama: There are many issues and problems before the COPE as regards the Highways Ministry. I do not know whether you are responsible for them, but there are issues.

Kiriella: So we can have a debate on the COPE report.

Hambantota District SLPP MP Dr Upul Galappaththi: We are ready to reveal the details of our bank accounts. Can you ask the former ministers who are now in the Opposition as MPs to do the same?

Badulla District SLPP MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake: We have given declarations of assets when we became MPs.

Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella: I am challenging you to get up here and tell the House.

Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando: I respect our chief opposition whip, but what he is asking for is meaningless. Can anyone expect those who steal money to keep it in bank accounts?

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News

Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.

Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.

The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses

will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”

In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125

News

Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.

The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.

Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.

The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.

The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.