Rakna Lanka public hearing on Sept 3

by Dhaneshi Yatawara

The Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) set up to Investigate and Inquire in to Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption, Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges has scheduled its first public hearing on allegations on Rakna Araksha Lanka Limited (RALL) on September 3.

The main allegations relate to the misuse of State funds and abuse of power by the State-owned subsidiary established as a commercial security service during the previous government.

The relevant officials answerable for the alleged offences have already been notified by the CoI, according to Secretary Lacille de Silva. “Notifications were hand delivered to the relevant people by the Police last Friday”, confirmed de Silva.

On the summons of the CoI, the former Secretary of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa gave evidence last Monday (24).

According to de Silva, Rajapaksa was questioned for over seven hours based on all the evidence the special Police investigating team has gathered so far. “Within the past two weeks officials of the RALL’s top and middle management and other employees were questioned by the special investigating team,” he added.

Allegations based on the evidence are three fold. Using nearly 500 employees of the RALL for the recent Presidential campaign of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is one.

Allegations

To fill the vacancies created by removing 500 RALL employees for the campaign, the RALL have employed nearly 150 Civil Defence Force personnel which is an abuse of power by the former authorities.

The other allegation against the former Secretary of Defence is the misuse of Rs. 6 million for deploying 500 RALL employees for the former President’s presidential campaign. And the Civil Defence Force personnel employed as a replacement for the RALL staff were requested to wear a different uniform instead of their usual one.

A special police team of 80 officers lead by ASP Lalith Abeysekara has investigated the issue and recovered documents as evidence supporting these allegations.

At the public hearing, evidence was produced before High Court Judges Padman Surasena, Amendra Seneviratna, Vikum Kaluarachchi, Gihan Kulatunga and former Auditor General B.A. Premathilake. “The public hearing will begin on September 3 and continue until the inquiry is completed,” explained de Silva.

Established under the prerogative of President Maithripala Sirisena to fulfill one of his pledges made during his Presidential campaign, the inquiry will continue as scheduled and investigate several cases of fraud, misuse of state funds, abuse of state power and cases that have caused loss to state institutions.

Explaining the cumbersome process of the fraud investigations, de Silva added that at times persons are summoned more than once to give evidence and statements, depending on the complexity of the case.

He pledged that the commission is working expeditiously to finalise the cases.

“We are determined to investigate all the corruption charges that have been reported to us and expedite the process as much as possible,” he noted.

Commenting on further development of the institution de Silva said that there are suggestions to expand the scope of the committee. “We intend to take up this issue with the Presidential Secretariat without delay,” he added.