Former Presidential Secretariat officials arrested for Rs. 17.9 m misappropriation 

An Additional Secretary and an Accountant attached to the Presidential Secretariat in 2010 were taken into custody yesterday for allegedly misappropriating State funds to the tune of Rs. 17.9 million in the purchase of eight luxury vehicles for the Presidential Secretariat that year.

The Police Special Investigation Unit (SIU) arrested former Additional Secretary D.S. Gunaratne and former Accountant L.D. Gunaratne in connection with the fraud, Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara told the Daily FT.

According to SP Gunasekara, the vehicles through which the funds had been misappropriated had been imported for the Presidential Secretariat utilising duty free vehicle permits.

The suspects will be produced in the Fort Magistrate’s Court, said the Police Spokesman.

The Presidential Commission of Inquiry on the controversial bond issuance, following 10 months of deliberations, handed over the final report on its findings to President Sirisena on 30 December last year.