SLC lodges complaint with Bribery Commission against Roshan Ranasinghe

December 4, 2023 at 4:42 PM

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has announced that it has formally filed a complaint with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption against former Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe over the alleged misuse of funds provided by the SLC.

Issuing a statement, the SLC said the funds had been provided to the National Sports Fund for the development of various other sports in Sri Lanka.

The decision to file this complaint stems from the concern that Parliamentarian Roshan Ranasinghe has not appropriately disclosed the utilization of funds allocated by the SLC for the intended purposes.

This move comes in the wake of a discernible disparity between the information disclosed to the media by MP Ranasinghe and the response received by the SLC under a Right to Information (RTI) application, outlining the specifics of the expenditures made, it said.

Emphasizing the importance of maintaining the integrity of financial transactions and ensuring that funds are utilized for their designated purposes, the SLC said the formal complaint filed with the Bribery Commission underscores the SLC’s dedication to upholding the highest standards of governance and ethics within the realm of sports administration.

The SLC expressed hope that the Bribery Commission will conduct a thorough investigation into the matter to ascertain the facts and take appropriate action as necessary.

Sri Lanka Cricket will continue to collaborate with relevant authorities to ensure a fair and just resolution to this issue, as part of its ongoing commitment to the promotion and advancement of sports in Sri Lanka, it added.

Responding to the claims, former Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe refuted the allegations levelled by Sri Lanka Cricket.

MP Ranasinghe, who was recently sacked from his ministerial portfolio of Sports, said that the funds have been utilized for official activities related to the Sports Ministry.

He further said that the expenditure has been audited by the Sports Ministry. (NewsWire)