dilrukshi resigns
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Comes in the wake of President’s remarks
Ranjan sad
Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) Director General Dilrukshi Dias Wickramasinghe tendered her resignation to the President yesterday, CIABOC sources said.
The resignation comes in the wake of strong criticism levelled against CIABOC by President Maithripala Sirisena.
The President in a speech last week said Independent Commissions should be aware of the scope of their subject and that he would take action if the CID, FCID or Bribery Commission is working according to a political agenda.
“These organisations cannot work according to a political agenda,” the President said expressing his displeasure over the questioning of former military leaders and the former Defence Secretary.
Additional Solicitor General and President’s Counsel Wickramasinghe assumed duties as the new Director General of CIABOC on February 12, 2015.
Social Empowerment and Welfare Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake speaking to the Daily News said he was saddened to hear of the Commissioner’s exit.
“We have seen how Jagath de S. Balapatabendi and Jayantha Wickremeratne ran things, so when Wickramasinghe was appointed last year, for the first time, politicians were being held accountable. Independent Commissions were appointed and empowered to take action and we didn’t expect this to happen when things were going well. Public officials have to expect praise as well as censure for their work and they have to have the strength to take both equally well. She didn’t have to resign because of one remark. I also ask that the director of the FCID and CID to be strong and work for the people regardless of pressure,” he added.
Ramanayake stressed that members of Independent Commissions should also keep the President informed of what is happening.
“He [President] did not say he objected to their actions, he just didn’t want to be kept in the dark,” the deputy minister said.
Meanwhile, Minister S.B. Dissanayake said no letter of resignation has been sent to the Presidential Secretariat so far and that the SLFP ministers had nothing to comment on it.
Wickramasinghe joined the Attorney General’s Department as a State Counsel in June 1987 and was initially attached to the Criminal Division and conducted prosecutions in the High Courts. She also served as a Senior State Counsel and Deputy Solicitor General.
By March 2014, following her elevation to the rank of Additional Solicitor General, she was appointed a President’s Counsel and was called to the Inner Bar. She has served as a Judge of the High Court of the Republic of Fiji and also served as the Chief Legal Officer of the Sri Lanka Air Force.
Wickramasinghe has contributed towards the development of various legislation such as the Electronic Transactions Act, the Computer Crimes Act and Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Bill.
All three members of the Bribery Commission including its chairman were contemplating sending their resignations to the authorities, but however last minute intervention by the chairman of the constitutional council had delayed this move.
The three members of the commission are former Supreme Court Judge Justice T.B Weerasuriya Chairman, former Court of Appeal Judge Justice W. Lal Ranjith Silva, Commissioner and former Deputy Inspector General of Police C. Neville Guruge.
The members of the other independent commissions too are having discussions whether they should remain in their positions following the verbal outburst by the President. Meanwhile, a senior minister of the unity government who had been interrogated by the Bribery Commission was to be charged before courts, but that too had been shelved.
