PCOI urges to extend its period until December 31
To investigate the corruption of the former administration
Office of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCOI) that probed large scale corruption allegations which happened during 2015-2018 former government period has requested an extension from the President’s Secretariat till December 31, sources from the Commission told Daily Mirror yesterday.
An official from the Commission said that though the Commissioners handed over its report to former President Maithripala Sirisena, the office staff has to still finalise and complete the necessary documents.
The officer also said that the former government has given the time frame till November 30 to complete the office work of the Commission but that period is not enough to finalise all the documents. “Due to this circumstance, the staff has requested another extension from the President’s Secretariat,” officer said.
Former President Maithripala Sirisena appointed the PCOI to investigate into allegations of corruption and mismanagement which had taken place in state institutions from January 15, 2015 to December 31, 2018.
Earlier, the Commission officials said that it had received a total of 1346 complaints and the police unit attached to the Commission completed the initial inquiry on 166 complaints so far. “Out of those 166 inquires; the commission had started recording evidence on 40 cases but out of them, 10 cases cannot be proceeded,” they said.
On September 27, 2019 the Commission has handed over its first volume of the report to the former President and the Commission had also received three extensions during its tenure. Retired Supreme Court Justice Upali Abeyratne chaired the Commission while former High Court Judge Kusala Sarojini Weerawardena, former Auditor General Pasdunkorale Arachchige Premathilake, former Ministry Secretary Lalith R. de Silva and former Deputy Inspector General of Police M.K.D. Vijaya Amarasinghe were appointed as the members of the Commission.
The Commission had recorded evidence on matters related to storing paddy at Mattala International Airport, misuse of government funds on renting out DPJ building to the Agriculture Ministry, malpractices which happened during the distribution of textbooks, tabs and school uniform vouchers for students and the financial frauds related to Mahapola and Suraksha insurance policy. Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe and other former line ministers who handled the subject ministries had testified before the Commission on several occasions and provided evidence on certain matters.
The Commission also inquired matters related to financial frauds happened during the import of high-yielding milch cows in 2015 and the import of the Russian controversial oncology medicine named ‘Herticad’ to treat patients with breast cancer. “Accepting complaints to the PCOI had stopped by March 19 and out of total complaints there were almost 300 complaints related to misappropriations which had taken place at state institutions,” officer told Daily Mirror.
On September 27, 2019 the Commission has handed over its first volume of the report to the former President and the Commission had also received three extensions during its tenure