Unexplained wealth presumed bribery, says CIABOC

Misuse of asset data to be penalised under new proposals  

The Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) Ranga Dissanayake said that all public officials are legally required to declare their assets and liabilities, warning that failure to comply will result in strict legal consequences.  

Speaking at an event held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall to launch an electronic system to declare assets and liabilities, he said that any wealth exceeding a person’s known income would be presumed to have been acquired through bribery unless proven otherwise.  

Dissanayake said that while some groups are easily monitored, the Commission faces difficulties in tracking others who have not submitted declarations. He highlighted trade unions as a key concern, pointing out that Sri Lanka has over 2,000 unions, and their executive officers are legally bound to submit asset and liability statements. He added that the Commission is currently dealing with the challenges of enforcing penalties and initiating legal action against those who have defaulted.  

Emphasising transparency, he said Members of Parliament, public officials, and those handling public funds must remain accountable, especially in cases where wealth accumulation appears questionable. However, he also raised concerns over the misuse of publicly circulated asset declarations, noting that some individuals use the information in ways that violate privacy rather than lodging formal complaints with authorities.  

To address this, the Commission has proposed amendments to the Anti-Corruption Act to penalize the unethical use of disclosed financial information. Dissanayake said safeguards are necessary to ensure that transparency does not come at the expense of individual rights.   Meanwhile, CIABOC Chairman Justice Neil Iddawela said that the Commission is working to improve efficiency by establishing 24 district-level offices. He also highlighted a record number of indictments and a conviction rate of around 50–55 percent, significantly higher than the 4–6 percent typically seen in general criminal cases, marking notable progress in the country’s anti-corruption efforts.