A joint Cabinet paper submitted by Rajitha Senaratne, Champika Ranawaka, Arjuna Ranatunge and Sarath Fonseka, seeking the progress over corruption investigations was vetoed this morning by President Maithripala Sirisena, who informed minsters that the Cabinet meeting was ‘not the place’ to discuss such issues.

President Sirisena

Senaratne’s cabinet paper comes amidst increasing exasperation by both the public and civil organisations, who have alleged that the government is soft peddling corruption investigations.

Highly placed sources said that Sirisena had however assured to give Senaratne and other concerned ministers a ‘separate meeting’ if they wished to discuss the progress of the investigations of bribery and corruption carried out under the previous regime of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The vetoed Cabinet paper comes, less than 24 hours after the Anti-Corruption Front accused the government of failing to take action against those involved in bribery and corruption, while also accusing the AG’s Department of inefficiency, despite the Financial Crimes Investigations Division completing many investigations, and have submitted the necessary information to the Department to file action.

In a total of 38 cases handed over by FCID to the AG’s department for further action, Former Minister Wimal Weerawansa and his wife, Shashi are alleged to be involved in a bribery and corruption case for the sum of Rs. 306 million, while former Minister Basil Rajapaksa is alleged to be involved in a case to the amount of Rs. 2990 million. Former Governor to the Central Bank, Ajith Nivard Cabraal is also alleged to be involved in another case to the tune of Rs. 200 and 700 million, where former Treasury Secretary Dr. P. B. Jayasundera has also being named. In another case, former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa is alleged to have being involved in a case amounting to Rs. 600 million.