PRECIFAC concludes two probes into abuse of State funds at CTB and UDA

By Shanika Sriyananda 

The Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power (PRECIFAC) is paring two final reports into misuse of public funds of the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) and the Upcountry Development Authority (UDA).

The PRECIFAC has concluded its probe into ad hoc appointments given by SLTB chairmen who served during 2010 to 2012 and also misappropriation of State funds by the former chairman of the UDA. 

SLTB former Chairmen D. Bandusena and Dilum Welgama had given four appointments without approval from the SLTB Director Board. 

The anti-corruption probe had found that a loss of over Rs.3 million was incurred to the Government due to payments to those employees who were recruited violating the SLTB procedures. 

Meanwhile, the PRECIFAC investigation has also found that the Government incurred a loss of Rs. 1.8 million due to misuse of a van which belonged to a private party and had used the fuel issued by SLTB. 

The PRECIFAC has also concluded its inquiry into the alleged misuse of State funds amounting to Rs. 2.9 million by the former UDA Chairman Amarananda Banda Weerasinghe to print banners and publish birthday greetings during the previous regime.

It was revealed that he had allegedly misused State funds to print banners to welcome former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his visits to Kandy and also for newspaper advertisements greeting former Economic Affairs Minister Basil Rajapaksa on his birthdays.

The authority was given allocations for several development projects including funds by the Sri Lanka Tourists Board to upgrade toilet facilities in the supermarket of the Kandy Municipal Council to cater to foreigners who visit Kandy and for the renovation of a parapet wall of the Kandy bus halt. 

Following the directives of Chairman Weerasinghe, the remaining funds of those projects were not returned to the Treasury but had been spent on printing banners and publishing birthday greetings in newspapers to please former President Rajapaksa and his brother former Minister Rajapaksa.

PRECIFAC investigation had found that he had violated the stipulated procedure of spending State funds in which the balance funds need to be returned to the Treasury with a complete report of all spending. 

The preliminary investigations will be carried out by a team of Police investigators led by ASP Lalith Abeysekara and assisted by Chief Inspector Geethika Bodhipaksa and Inspector Anuradha.

The public hearings were held before a five-member panel of Commissioners including High Court Judges Padman Surasena, Piyasena Ranasinghe and Gihan Kulatunga and former Auditor General B.A. Premathilake.