News

Rs 16 bn revenue loss: CIABOC summons Bandula over sugar duty scam

Published

4 years ago

2022/12/16

Thilina Walpola

Dec.09 disclosure has implicated Prez, his advisors

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) inquiring into massive revenue losses suffered in 2020/2021 owing to an alleged sugar tax scam has summoned the then Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena for questioning.

The CIABOC intends to question incumbent Media and transport minister Gunawardena on Monday (19).

State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya on 09 Nov., informed Parliament that the Treasury had suffered losses amounting to Rs 16 bn due to the unprecedented reduction of duty on a kilo of white sugar from Rs 50 to 25 cents with effect from Oct 13, 2020. The SLFPer said that the Treasury could recover only 30 percent of Rs 16 bn loss.

Lawmaker Siyambalapitiya assured parliament that the government would ensure such unilateral decisions couldn’t be taken in the future.Authoritative sources told The Island that the then Presidential Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera had been questioned in this regard. The one-time Secretary to the Treasury has told investigators the President cleared the reduction of duty on sugar.

Then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa served as the finance minister atthetime whereas Ajith Nivard Cabraal heldthestate finance portfolio. S. R. Attygalle served as the Secretary to the Treasury.The SLPP government increased theduty to Rs 50 in May 2020, a couple of months before the general election.

CIABOC would seek clarification from Minister Gunawardena as regards his disclosure in parliament on Dec 09 that those who spoke on behalf of sugar racketeers had the ear of the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Minister Gunawardena said that in spite of him being the trade minister, he was not consulted at all and his strong oppositionwasdisregarded by President Rajapaksa. Responding to SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera, MP, lawmaker Gunawardena claimed that inimical decisions were taken by ‘advisors’ at the expense of ministers who lacked authority.

CIABOC has so far recorded statements from over 30 persons in respect of the high profile investigation launched following complaints received fromSamagi Jana BalavegayaMPs, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka and Mayantha Dissanayake and Attorney-at-Law Nagananda Kodituwakku.

The Islandlearns that the CIABOC isalsocontemplating toobtaina statement from former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in this regard. Sources said that a clarification was required as some of those who had been questioned over the issuance of the relevant gazette by the Finance Ministry claimed they received instructions from the President.

Former Chairman of the Public Finance Commission Anura Priyadarshana Yapa is on record as having said that the reduction of duty on sugar didn’t benefit the consumers at all. Incumbent cabinet ministers Vidura Wickremanayake and Nalin Fernando before they received ministerial portfolios this year in their capacity as members of the Public Finance Commission have criticized the sugar tax scam.

Former Director (Administration) Parliament and civil society activist Lacille de Silva said that the CIABOC should go the whole hog. A proper inquiry could help identify those who had ruined the national economy and forced millions of families to experience untold hardships.

Referring to Section 2 of the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007 imports could be exempted from duty/tax,De Silva explained that ministerial actions had to be justified regardless of the economic crisis the country was experiencing now,he said.

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News

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

Published

11 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

11 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

11 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.