By Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy The Island

Following Speaker Karu Jayasuriya’s endorsement of the Commission of Inquiry Amendment Act on Feb. 01, 2019, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) can now use evidence and the findings of special commissions such as the Presidential Commissions.

A spokesperson for the Speaker’s Office yesterday told The Island that the Commission of Inquiry Amendment Bill had been presented by Minister Gayantha Karunatilleke on Sept 05, 2018, approved by parliament on January 22, 2019 without a vote. The Speaker signed it into law, on Feb 01, 2019.

Although the Bill was debated in parliament on Oct 12, 2018, the House unanimously decided to put off vote on the Bill, prompting President Maithripala Sirisena to accuse the UNP of deliberately delaying CIABOC action against the perpetrators of Central Bank Treasury Bond scams in 2015 and 2016.

The passage of the Commission of Inquiry Amendment would enable the CIABOC to take action in respect of the Treasury bond scams using the evidence and testimonies of the presidential commission, MP Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse said. The former Justice Minister pointed out the new law would also eliminate the need for the CIABOC to conduct its own inquiry into the allegations and scams.

Both Speaker Jayasuriya and Director General of the CIABOC President’s Counsel Sarath Jayamanne confirmed the passage of the Bill.