State-run Dinamina newspaper has reported that court proceedings in the unexplained assets case against former Minister Mervyn Silva have revealed details of assets allegedly worth more than Rs. 600 million accumulated during a two-year period while he served as Minister of Labour and Public Relations.
According to the report, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has filed the case alleging that Silva acquired assets which could not be explained through his lawful sources of income between March 31, 2010 and March 31, 2012.
The case is scheduled to be taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Mohamed Mihail on August 20, where managers of several banks are expected to provide evidence regarding multiple accounts maintained by the former minister.
Dinamina reported that the court has been informed of numerous fixed deposits, bank accounts, high-value land purchases, luxury vehicles, insurance policies and other financial transactions linked to Silva and members of his family.
Among the assets highlighted were fixed deposits exceeding Rs. 182 million in one bank, several properties in Colombo and Rajagiriya, seven vehicles purchased within the two-year period, and other financial investments.
The newspaper further reported that the prosecution is seeking to establish how Silva allegedly accumulated approximately Rs. 485 million in unexplained wealth during the period covered by the indictment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Director Ama Wijesinghe of CIABOC. (Newswire)