PM to testify before PCoI tomorrow

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will testify before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) to investigate corruption in the administration tomorrow, October 23, to provide evidence on the decision to store paddy at the Mattala Airport in 2015.

Earlier, the Prime Minister informed the Commission that he could not appear before the Commission until the presidential election is over.

Testifying before the Commission, former Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) Chairman Bandara Dissanayake informed the Commission that the Prime Minister had personally instructed him to store paddy at the Mattala Airport.

Dissanayake also said that Primary Industries and Social Empowerment Minister Daya Gamage had contacted him frequently and said that storing paddy at the airport was an election promise given by the UNP.

However, Minister Gamage informed the Presidential Commission that the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) had decided to store paddy at Mattala Airport after airport officials had given permission for them to execute the decision which was taken in 2015. (Yoshitha Perera)