Bribery Comm. files case against two including ex-Minister Lakshman Yapa

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has filed a case against former Minister of Investment Promotion Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena and former Director General of the Board of Investment (BOI) Jayantha Edirisinghe, over the alleged misuse of public funds for newspaper advertisements in 2014.

Indictments were filed before the Colombo High Court, charging the duo with causing a financial loss of over Rs. 1.7 million to the government by utilising BOI funds to publish newspaper supplements in relation to the anniversary of the second inauguration of then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

According to the Bribery Commission, the advertisements were published in 11 newspapers on November 19, 2014, marking the anniversary of Rajapaksa’s second presidential inauguration. The Commission alleges that this act constitutes an offence under the Anti-Corruption Act.

The total alleged loss to the state through this action has been estimated at Rs. 1,748,877.76.

Five charges have been filed against the two accused, while 15 individuals have been named as witnesses in the case. Additionally, 21 documents have been submitted to the court as exhibits.