Fraudulent spending by Kotte MC

2 October 2011 09:35 pm

The main opposition UNP is to take up the alleged Rs.574 million fraudulent spending by the Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte Municipal Council with the Parliamentary Select Committee Public Accounts (PAC) shortly.

UNP National List MP Dr. Harsha De Silva told the Daily Mirror yesterday that he would peruse a program to get the PAC to summon the officials of Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte and carry out an investigation on the deals.

Dr. De Silva went public with the alleged frauds on Friday leading a protest against these alleged deals.

The UNP MP said even the Auditor General had refused to give a qualified opinion on these spending as no supportive documents have been produced to prove the accuracy of spending.

Coming up with some details on one fraudulent spending is the purchase of earth used in the reconstruction of the access road to the Chandra Silva Stadium. He said funds have been spent to purchase 1,500 cubes of earth whereas only 806 cubes have been used for the reconstruction of the said road. “This is only one example for such fraudulent and wasteful spending.

Dr. De Silva also stressed the need for the introduction of some procedure to make it compulsory for the Kotte MC to publish its accounts in order to ensure transparency.

Sitting member of the Municipal Council Udyama Niyathapala who responded on the matter said this is mainly an election propaganda of the UNP. He said he is not aware of any fraudulent transactions in the council. (Yohan Perera)