Ex-Sabargamuwa Officials Remanded Over Rs. 77 Mn Fraud

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Embilipitiya Magistrate, Thilina Mahesh Peiris, has ordered the remand of a Sabargamuwa Provincial Council Assistant Director and a former Secretary until the 8th of this month. 

This decision follows an investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) into a fraud involving false measurement reports for 77 projects, including roads and playgrounds, amounting to Rs. 77 million.

The CID arrested the Assistant Director, Kusumlatha Kumaranayake, from the Sabargamuwa Provincial Ministry of Road Development, Rural Infrastructure, Tourism Development, and Provincial Road Maintenance on the 7th of this month.

Additionally, Devapriya Wijayaraja, a former Secretary of the same ministry, surrendered to the Embilipitiya Magistrate's Court through his lawyer in connection with the case.

Previously, a former technical officer, a clerk, and a secretary from the Embilipitiya Pradeshiya Sabha were also arrested on suspicion of involvement in the fraud.

The police revealed that funds were allocated for 77 projects in the Sabargamuwa Province, but audits uncovered that no roads or playgrounds were constructed. 

The fraudulent activities, which occurred during 2016 and 2017, were exposed through investigations conducted by the Sabargamuwa Provincial Council.