PRECIFAC to question Premajayanth today

By Shanika Sriyananda

Former General Secretary of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and current Minister of Technology, Technical Education and Employment Susil Premajayanth will be questioned by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources, and Privileges (PRECIFAC), today.

PRECIFAC sources said that he will be questioned over the alleged financial irregularities worth over Rs. 200 m recorded at the state-run Independent Television Network (ITN) during the Presidential campaign 2015.

Premajayanth will be questioned following the statement given by the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was questioned last week by the PRECIFAC over the alleged non-payment of money for advertising of his campaign at the 2015 Presidential Election.

According to PRECIFAC sources, the previous Government had not settled a bill of Rs. 115 m it owed to ITN for advertisements used in the campaign of former president Rajapaksa and another investigation is in progress with regard to returning of Rs. 89 m to President Maithripala Sirisena without carrying his advertisements during the Presidential Election campaign 2015.

Premajayanth will be questioned by the Police investigation team led by ASP Lalith Abeysekara and assisted by Chief Inspector Geethika Bodhipaksa at the BMICH.

Former Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, former Minister and parliamentarian Dullas Alahapperuma, Former President’s Secretary Lalith Weeratunga, former Treasury Secretary P. B. Jayasundera, former Secretary of the Ministry of Media Charitha Herath and former ITN chairman Anura Siriwardena were also questioned over the same allegation.