Ex-chief minister remanded in Rs 16.5 Mn fraud probe
COLOMBO – Former Southern Province Chief Minister Shan Wijayalal de Silva was on Wednesday (9) remanded until June 12 after being produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court following his arrest by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).
De Silva who is also a former Member of Parliament, was taken into custody on Wednesday in connection with an investigation into the alleged misuse of public funds and irregularities in a chair procurement project implemented under the Southern Provincial Council in 2019.
According to investigators, Rs 16.5 million had been allocated under the Provincial Council Members’ decentralized funds program to distribute chairs to voluntary organizations across the Southern Province.
However, the Commission alleges that proper procurement procedures were not followed during the project and that the former chief minister acted in a manner that favoured the manufacturing company involved in the procurement process.
Investigators further claim that instead of being distributed to the intended beneficiary organizations, 16,361 chairs were delivered to the homes and offices of 54 Provincial Council members representing the districts of Galle, Matara and Hambantota, resulting in a financial loss to the State.
The former chief minister is facing allegations of financial misconduct, abuse of power, violation of procurement regulations and causing losses to the government.
Following submissions by the Commission, the Colombo Chief Magistrate ordered that de Silva be remanded in judicial custody until June 12, when the case is scheduled to be taken up again.
-ENCL
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