Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) Ranga Dissanayake said that legal action would be filed against Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody if the Commission decides to proceed with such a decision.
Speaking at a media briefing today, Dissanayake clarified that the decision to prosecute or not under the Bribery Act rests with the three-member Commission, not the Director General. However, once a decision is made, it is his responsibility as DG to file the indictment based on the commission’s recommendation, he noted.
Dissanayake further said that the investigation related to Minister Jayakody had been in its final, confidential stages when information about it was prematurely leaked to the media, which, he said, disrupted the investigative process.
“The issue is the publication of the news. A report was released saying charges would be filed. I asked how this information came out,” Dissanayake said.
“At this point, the commission is still deliberating on the matter. A case may or may not be filed—that’s the commission’s decision. But a news story came out before any final decision. That itself can be grounds for investigation. If the commission decides to go ahead, I will file charges against Kumara Jayakody,” he stressed. (Newswire)