Tsunami bribery probe in East

Ranil Wijayapala

COLOMBO: The Commission to Investigate Allegations on Bribery and Corruption will expedite the hearing of complaints from tsunami affected people in Batticaloa and Ampara districts against corrupt Government officers.

Director Investigations of the Bribery Commission SP Neville Guruge told the Daily News that Commission officials headed by its Chairman Justice Ameer Ismail and Secretary P.A. Abeysinghe toured the Tsunami hit Batticaloa and Ampara districts from February 26.

Two investigation teams from the Commission who visited the area will investigate complaints received from residents.

"We received 10 to 12 complaints from tsunami-hit people in Kalmunai during our visit on February 27 and six to eight complaints Akkaraipattu residents," SP Guruge said.

Most complaints were against Gramasevaka officers and Fisheries officials who had solicited money from tsunami affected people to provide them with the Government approved subsidies.

"We also received complaints about officers who had taken bribes to provide subsidies for those not affected by the tsunami," he said.

"We will investigate these complaints and bring corrupt officers to book," SP Guruge said.

In December 2005, bribery sleuths arrested one Fisheries Inspector in Pottuvil who had solicited Rs.50,000 from a tsunami affected person to provide with him a boat.

The Bribery Commission will educate court staff and lawyers in Kalmunai on bribery cases. The Commission officers also briefed more than 250 Police officers at the Ampara Town Hall on February 26 on inquiries related to bribery and corruption, SP Guruge added.

"The Commission also conducted a seminar for the court staff and the lawyers in Akkaraipattu on February 28," he added.