Bribery and corruption probes on the rise

Thursday, 11 July 2013 02:54 -     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Ashwin Hemmathagama Our Lobby Correspondent The number of cases investigated by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption has increased by 166 last year, from 1,217 investigations conducted in 2011 to 1,383 investigations in 2012. “The length of time taken up by each investigation varies according to the nature of the complaints received by the commission, but indictments were served to 26 cases in 2011 and 55 cases in 2012 having completed the inquiry,” confirmed Minister of Water Supply and Drainage and Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardena on Tuesday in Parliament in response to Question for Oral Answer raised by UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake. Referring to the matters to be implemented by the commission according to the COPE report issued under the Chairmanship of UNP MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakse sent on 31 August 2007, the Minister confirmed to have carried out a full investigation. “In instances where there was no sufficient material to warrant legal action being instituted according to what was revealed at such investigations, the matters were referred to the relevant authorities for necessary action in terms of Section 4 (2) of the Act. As regards the other institutions, reports have been called for from the Legal Division for any further action that needs to be taken. The Secretary General of Parliament has been kept informed of such action taken from time to time,” said Minister Gunawardena.

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