A complaint has been lodged with the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) yesterday (20), alleging the misappropriation of Rs. 27.5 million from the President’s Fund during the tenure of former President Maithripala Sirisena in 2019.
Filed by Vice Chairman of the Eppawala Cooperative Society – P.V. Lakshman Jayawardena, the case claims that the funds were intended for the construction of a conference hall on land belonging to the society following a request made to the President’s Office in 2017.
Jayawardena notes that the land was officially acquired for the construction of the hall, with an estimated budget of Rs.130 million initially proposed. However, due to the involvement of the Sri Lanka Army for labor contributions, the cost was later estimated to be Rs.73 million.
He further states that Rs.25 million was disbursed during the first phase of construction, but work was subsequently halted midway.
The complaint also notes that 07 commercial shops had previously existed before being demolished for the project. However, valuable items like doors, windows, and fittings had mysteriously gone missing, the complaint alleges.
Jayawardena has requested a thorough investigation into the financial mismanagement, the disappearance of goods, and the failure of the project.
