By Shamindra Ferdinando

The police have questioned former MP Nirupama Rajapaksa as regards revelations made by Pandora Papers pertaining to secret offshore financial transactions.

Authoritative sources told The Island that the police unit assigned to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) recorded the former Deputy Minister’s statement on Dec 1, though the outfit was not aware of the development.

When The Island asked Secretary to the CIABOC Apsara Caldera on Dec 3 whether the former MP had been questioned, the official said they were yet to record her statement.

However, sources close to the investigation yesterday (9) confirmed that Rajapaksa’s statement had been recorded on the morning of Dec 1 at the CIABOC. She had been there for about three hours. However, the media hadn’t been informed of the development in spite of the CIABOC being accused of not recording her statement.

The CIABOC consists of retired Supreme Court Justice Eva Wanasundera, retired Appeals Court Justice Deepali Wijesundera and retired DIG Chandra Nimal Wakista, one-time head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS).

Pandora Papers alleged that Nirupama Rajapaksa and Thirukumar Nadesan together controlled a shell company the couple used to acquire luxury apartments in London and Sydney and to make investments.

It is alleged that Nadesan set up other shell companies and trusts in various jurisdictions, and he used them to secure lucrative consulting contracts from foreign companies doing business with the Sri Lankan government and to buy artwork.

According to the Pandora Paper leaks, in 2018, one of the companies, Pacific Commodities, transferred 31 paintings and other South Asian art pieces to the Geneva Freeport, an ultra-secure warehouse where assets are not subject to taxes or duties.

In confidential emails to Asiaciti Trust, a Singapore-based offshore services provider, a long-time adviser of Nadesan’s put his overall wealth, as of 2011, at more than $160 million. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists acknowledged that it couldn’t independently verify the figure. It was alleged that Asiaciti Trust managed some of Nadesan’s offshore companies and trusts, with assets valued at about $18 million, according to an ICIJ analysis.

Subsequently, Pandora Papers revealed transactions carried out by R. Paskaralingam, one-time Ministry Secretary and advisor to late Presidents Ranasinghe Premadasa, and D.B. Wijetunga and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe using similar loopholes

The CIABOC questioned Nirupama’s husband, Thirukumar Nadesan twice as regards the Pandora Papers revelations. Nirupama Rajapaksa first entered Parliament at the 1994 general election on the PA ticket. Nirupama served as deputy minister of water supply and drainage during the presidency of Mahinda Rajapaksa between 2010 and 2015.

Authoritative sources said that the CIABOC handled the investigation, having submitted an interim report to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as requested. Sources said that the CIABOC hadn’t been able to record Nirupama Rajapaksa’s statement before compiling the interim report for President Rajapaksa’s perusal.

Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) has written to the President, the Speaker of Parliament and the Elections Commission of Sri Lanka calling for the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities of Former Deputy Minister Nirupama Rajapaksa. The request was made under the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities law (1975) and the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities (Amendment) law (1988).

According to the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities law (1975), candidates contesting for office in local government, provincial council, Parliament or for the post of President should submit their Declaration of Assets and Liabilities to the Elections Commission of Sri Lanka.

TISL pointed out that the Election Commission has expressed concerns over campaign expenditure. Similarly, it should be concerned about failure on the part of many lawmakers to declare their assets and liabilities.

The law further states that Members of Parliament should submit their Declarations of Assets and Liabilities to the Speaker of Parliament while Ministers and Deputy Ministers should submit their asset declarations to the President.