Govt. shoots down claim of private notice to President on Bribery Commission summons to Wickremesinghe

Wednesday, 30 April 2025 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Cabinet pokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa states it was Wickremesinghe who publicly disclosed via social media that he was summoned by CIABOC
Says perhaps former President has forgotten his own public statement

Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa

abinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa yesterday categorically rejected claims that President Anura Kumara Disanayake was privately informed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) regarding a summons issued to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Responding to queries posed at the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing, Dr. Jayatissa addressed concerns raised by Wickremesinghe himself during a media interaction on Monday (28), in which the former President questioned how President Disanayake was allegedly aware of the Bribery Commission’s summons prior to it becoming public.

Clarifying the timeline, the Cabinet Spokesman pointed out that it was Wickremesinghe who had publicly disclosed on 11 April via social media that he had been summoned by the Bribery Commission for 17 April.

“Ranil Wickremesinghe himself announced on social media that he had been issued a summons by the Bribery Commission. He also stated that due to his unavailability, an alternative date had been given,” the Minister said.

Dr. Jayatissa went on to explain that any knowledge President Disanayake may have had was most likely derived from that public announcement. “It is entirely possible that the President saw this information on social media, just like everyone else. Perhaps the former President has forgotten his own public statement,” he quipped.

Dismissing suggestions that the Bribery Commission had briefed the President directly, Dr. Jayatissa asserted that no such communication had taken place. “The President was not informed by the Bribery Commission. These claims are unfounded and misleading,” he stressed.