Ex-Southern Province Chief Secretary arrested over alleged Rs. 16.5M fraud

Colombo, July 24 (Daily Mirror) - The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has arrested Rannulu Chandrasiri de Zoysa, a former Chief Secretary of the Southern Province, over allegations of financial corruption and procurement irregularities.

According to CIABOC, the allegations relate to a project launched in 2019 by the Southern Development Authority, operating under the Southern Provincial Chief Ministry, to provide chairs to voluntary public organisations across the Southern Province. The project was funded through an allocation of Rs. 16.5 million from the Southern Provincial Council.

Investigators allege that the former Chief Secretary had bypassed standard government procurement procedures to select a specific manufacturing company for the project.

CIABOC stated that by favouring the company, de Zoysa had allegedly provided an unlawful financial benefit to the entity, causing a financial loss to the State.

The suspect is scheduled to be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.