Unlawful compensation claim by former MPs: Nalinda

43 former MPs have been paid a total of Rs.1.2Bn from the treasury  

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana   

Chief Government Whip Nalinda Jayatissa in Parliament yesterday alleged that some 43 former MPs have engaged in a Rs. 1.2 billion scam by making false claims of compensation for the damages caused to their houses during the Aragalaya (uprising) in 2022.   

Dr. Jayatissa said 43 former MPs have claimed a total of Rs 1.2 billion from the treasury by influencing government officers to overestimate damages caused to their houses. 

Dr. Jayatissa said 43 former MPs have claimed a total of Rs 1.2 billion by influencing government officers to overestimate damages caused to their houses.   

He said former MP Kapila Nuwan Athukorala has been paid Rs 504,000 as compensation while Wimalaweera Dissanayake has been paid Rs 550,000, Geetha Kumarasinghe Rs 922,000, Janaka Tissakuttiarachchi Rs 1.1 million, Gunapala Ratnasekera Rs 1.4 million, Premnath Dolawatte Rs Rs 2.3 million, Priyankara Jayaratne Rs 2.3 million, S. Athukorala Rs 2.5 million, Jayantha Ketagoda Rs 2.8 million, Wimal Weerawansa Rs 2.9 million, Channa Jayasumana Rs 3.3 million, Akila Ellawala Rs 3.5 million, Chamal Rajapaksa Rs 6.5 million, Asoka Priyantha Rs 7.2 million, Chandima Weerakkody Rs 6.9 million, Samanpriya Herath Rs 10.5 million, Rohitha Abeygunawardena Rs 11.6 million, Seetha Arambepola Rs 13.7 million, Sahan Pradeep 17.1 million, Shehan Semasinghe Rs 18.5 million, Indika Anuruddha Rs 19.5 million, Milan Jayatilaka Rs 22.3 million, Ramesh Pathirana Rs 28.1 million, Duminda Dissanayake Rs 28.8 million, Kanka Herath Rs 29.2 million, D. B. Herath Rs 32.1 million, Prasanna Ranaweera Rs 32.7 million, W. Weerasinghe Rs 37.2 million, Santha Bandara Rs 39.1 million, S. M. Chandrasena Rs 43.8 million, Sanath Nishantha Rs 42.7 million, Siripala Gamlath Rs 50.9 million, Arundika Fernando Rs 55.2 million, Sumith Udukumubura Rs 55.9 million, Prasanna Ranatunga Rs 56. 1 million, Kokila Gunawardene Rs 58. 7 million, Mohan P. De Silva Rs 60.1 million, Nimal Lanza Rs 69.2 million, Ali Sabry Rahim Rs. 70.9 million, Gamini Lokuge Rs 74.9 million, Johnston Fernando Rs 93.4 million and Keheliya Rambukwella Rs 95.9 million.  

Opposition MP Chaminda Wijesiri who responded later challenged the government stating that it should confiscate the assets of former MPs who have been alleged to have engaged in scams. “The government said it will cancel the liquor permits given to politicians. However the government itself had to accept that it is not possible to do so,” the MP said.