Withdrawing PC funds from bank is not a crime: RW

28 April 2025 03:38 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 53 Bookmark

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Colombo, April 28 (Daily Mirror) - Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe who made a three-hour statement to the Bribery Commission today, said that withdrawing funds of the Uva Provincial Council from the bank and spending it on recurrent or capital expenditure is not a crime.

Wickremesinghe was summoned before the Bribery Commission over the withdrawal of the Uva Provincial Council funds from a bank by the former Chief Minister of Uva Province Chamara Sampath Dassanayake during the previous regime.

“I made a statement to the Bribery Commission and explained my point and thereby I said keeping funds in a bank account is the real crime,” Wickremeisnghe told the media.

Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Comments - 53

Jayantha Silva Monday, 28 April 2025 03:50 PM

Similar theory was applied to EPF too. Economic guru who sponsored and nurtured fraudsters.

0 6

Naushad Monday, 28 April 2025 03:50 PM

Mr. Ranil withdrawing PC fund and spending is not a crime. but depositing to personal account and spending is a crime or not?. May be you are good in Constitution and know the law public need a full clear inquiry in to the matter. we paid that money through tax out of our hard earned income.

0 6

Rogue Monday, 28 April 2025 03:53 PM

You are as crooked as they come with the Rajapakse family. Nothing is a crime to you is it?

0 7

James Packeer Monday, 28 April 2025 04:03 PM

Statesman No.1. Can you compare with AKD !! Shows the issue with 6.7 Mn Voters. Country will always be a third World !!

1 4

Keith Bond Monday, 28 April 2025 04:05 PM

Like AKD's Master !! Master and Driver !!

2 0

Ram P Monday, 28 April 2025 04:12 PM

Who is RW to decide if it is a crime or not. Let that be decided by Court. If RW encouraged the withdrawel then he must be charged for aiding and abetting. He can face the charges and make his submissions to court

0 6

Nihal S Monday, 28 April 2025 04:32 PM

You may be right, if the rules have been established in that way. However, we do not trust you given your linkages to cover corruptions and waste of public resources without any care. Have a good rest anyway.

0 8

Vivian Vivekan Monday, 28 April 2025 04:42 PM

Withdrawing is not a crime, but later using for own purpose is what?

0 6

Insider Monday, 28 April 2025 04:48 PM

In govt institutions you cannot just move funds and spend unless provided for in the budget and duly approved earlier - not at the CM's personal wishes. So your statement of withdrawing funds of the Uva Provincial Council from the bank and spending it on recurrent or capital expenditure is indeed a crime.

0 6

BanduXX Monday, 28 April 2025 04:50 PM

A Chief Minister (CM) cannot unilaterally decide how to spend any money in a Provincial Council (PC) without a budget allocation. The PC budget is a formal document outlining the allocated funds and how they are intended to be spent. The CM, like other members of the PC, is bound by the budget and must follow the procedures and regulations for spending within the PC.

0 6

pradeep Monday, 28 April 2025 04:52 PM

'' keeping funds in a bank account is the real crime,” that may be the reason your mango friends and clan took away the billions of money from the Central Bank, what shameless man you are ?

0 7

Exposing him Monday, 28 April 2025 04:55 PM

Shyster - how can you say said keeping funds in a bank account is the real crime. Then why should there be savings accounts in Banks (govt is implicit in a crime then). You think Pensioners must invest in shares or other dubious ventures. You need no savings because you get pensions and other retiring perks enough to give you a good life.

0 6

Mizaru Monday, 28 April 2025 05:02 PM

A crook covering crook is nothing new!

0 7

Homeopathy Monday, 28 April 2025 05:34 PM

It that why you withdrew from central bank, Because its not a crime.?..

0 5

RanjithT Monday, 28 April 2025 05:36 PM

Whether this guy has misappropriated funds is anybody's guess, yet the issues refers to moving funds from a bank account there by causing loss to the government. Anyone with an iota of knowledge on government FR knows that government funds cannot be held as FDs in a bank. Sad part is that bribery commissioner should have been briefed on this regulation by his legal team. This will end up with a red nose as usual. These comrades are famous for jumping the gun without realizing the fallout. Just for the record, removal of past president's facilities, MP pension, removing decorative additions from busses/trishaws, non existent Ugandan dollars, trainer aircraft crash, monkey story of power outage, only 20 million dollars in reserves when comrades take over, renegotiation of IMF conditions list is too long.

12 5

S P Monday, 28 April 2025 05:39 PM

It’s really fun to watch from a side to see how this government is messing the things up that they themselves created. Why don’t they concentrate on fixing our real problems like a professional team rather than getting involved in these dramas? They can easily get re-elected by doing just that. But unfortunately they may not have the brains or the required ideological upbringing for it. This has been our political system throughout the history. We elect governments to punish the previous ones and not to fix the current and emerging issues for the nation.

8 1

Suhada malli Monday, 28 April 2025 05:48 PM

RW Sir, you are the one who introduced many controls including strengthening the Bribery and Asset siezure rules. Please try not to make a mockery of these systems by belittleling them to gain narrow political mileage. You have this sinister side to you where you dont mind destroying many things including your own political party and many fairhful relationships of people who believed in you.

0 8

Citizen k Monday, 28 April 2025 05:49 PM

Then tell us what is a crime in your own words.

0 3

melbournian Monday, 28 April 2025 05:50 PM

Ranil is the law and justice lol What a banana republic :) Grandfa gonna teach even judges what is a crime going forward :)

0 4

ICC Monday, 28 April 2025 05:53 PM

Withdrawing money from a bank is not a crime. Yes ok. //// How is it that keeping money in a bank is a crime ?????

0 4

Is there evidence of every rupee being spent as legally allowed Monday, 28 April 2025 06:03 PM

Where is the evidence of proper use of the funds that were withdrawn? Where is the evidence of all the funds, every last rupee actually being actually spent on recurrent or capital expenditure? If there is no evidence of use of funds on appropriate use, maybe RW is involved in the crime as well, to so defend.

0 3

Channa Monday, 28 April 2025 06:16 PM

If the withdrawn money has been productively utilized, then what you are saying is valid. BUT, IF money is withdrawn from one bank (because bank has refused to fund a personal propaganda of the Chief Minister) loosing interest for pre mature withdrawal, and deposited again in another bank that agreed to spend on the propaganda program, then the story is totally different. Are you trying to hoodwink the public ???

0 3

Citizen Monday, 28 April 2025 06:26 PM

RW is like jack of all trades and master or all too..

7 2

Cassie Monday, 28 April 2025 06:27 PM

Its great they are going after the past. Can't wait until the JVP is brought to justice.

3 1

Rip Winkle Monday, 28 April 2025 06:47 PM

Mr. Bullshit.

0 8

VJ Monday, 28 April 2025 06:47 PM

But robbing the country’s central bank is a crime.

0 2

Ahamed Monday, 28 April 2025 06:58 PM

If someone tries corruption, and gets caught, can they still come with lawyers who find loopholes in the system to defend them?

0 3

Aquarius Monday, 28 April 2025 07:13 PM

You were the (back door) President and why did you allow it and what did you do about it?

0 3

Lion Monday, 28 April 2025 07:14 PM

You have wasted 45 years of your life without achieving any thing constructive to this country. Please get lost allowing these people to govern this country

0 4

PRIYANEE WIJESEKERA Monday, 28 April 2025 07:17 PM

Did he go to give a lesson to the CIABOC officers on govt financial regulations ?

0 3

Joshua Monday, 28 April 2025 07:27 PM

But withdrawing by rogues is a crime

0 8

Crazy8 Monday, 28 April 2025 08:25 PM

... not a crime but a fraud :)

0 11

M Fernando Monday, 28 April 2025 08:38 PM

The Commission was simply Dazzled by the English Speaking Royal Person - They could not even reply to his points. When he held up the cellphone, that was the icing on the cake ! Well Done Sir !!!

6 3

Norman Bates Monday, 28 April 2025 08:49 PM

According to Dr. Cadju Seeya even robbing from the Central Bank is not a crime. Why not enjoy your retirement from stolen state monies.

0 8

Rip Winkle Monday, 28 April 2025 09:12 PM

Never seen anyone so full of themselves as this egotistical narcissist.

0 12

Rakitha W Monday, 28 April 2025 09:17 PM

Yeah right, you must have told the same to your wedding guest buddy about the central bank.

0 15

Mark Monday, 28 April 2025 09:59 PM

Really. Moving money from a Bank account belonging to a State Body to Chief Minister's Personal Account is not a crime according to this expert in Finances. No wonder Central Bank robbery took place with the silly boy's blessings.Thank God he has been moved out of positions of any control of finances and power. Keep away from this nonsense and stupidity RW

0 4

Citizen Monday, 28 April 2025 11:23 PM

Knowing that there will be a loss if withdrawn before maturity he or whoever should have advised to withdraw on maturity. Now who is responsible for the loss of 17 million? That is money belonging to the people of this country.The chief minister should have known this. He and those responsible should be punished.

0 4

Perera Tuesday, 29 April 2025 01:15 AM

You cannot be a judge in your own case (nemo judex in causa sua). Let the court decide whether what you and Chamara did is a crime or not.

0 7

mp Tuesday, 29 April 2025 09:51 AM

Exactly.

3 0

mp Tuesday, 29 April 2025 09:51 AM

Exactly.

3 0

lion Tuesday, 29 April 2025 04:22 AM

yes it is not a crime for a man who spent colossal amount of foreign exchange , on 26 foreign trips with his cronies while the country was starving for foreign exchange and also spending millions and millions on musical extravaganza in every main towns by Manusha and Hareen, close to the general election in the last year to built your image , which became a dam squib

0 3

Ylg Tuesday, 29 April 2025 04:33 AM

SAMPATH CHAMARA? ARE YOU SERIOUS RANIL!

0 3

Terrence K Tuesday, 29 April 2025 06:02 AM

He is spot on when he says that just leaving funds in state banks will never derive the best interest on behalf of the public as the present day interest paid is a paltry amount which does not reflect the inflationary rate which is a concocted rate by the government thereby fleecing the public of the interest on deposits and utilizing these funds to fatten the many corporates who previously had to pay interest rates of 18 to 20 percent but with no reduction in the products due to the low cost of funds. When investments are made always it must be borne in mind to find secured avenues bearing a high rate of return instead of getting caught up with the manipulations of the government since it is not government funds provided at low rate of interests but the monies deposited by customers which includes terminal benefits etc earned during their life span and always the interest rates paid should be in comparison with the cost of living otherwise the public will be beggars at last!!!!!!

10 1

Ram P Tuesday, 29 April 2025 06:17 AM

RW, you explained to the investigators a lot but did you check where the withdrawn money went in part or in full. That could be where the crime lies

0 8

Dr Tissa Fernando Tuesday, 29 April 2025 08:13 AM

What bul shit is he talking time to send jolly siya to Angoda - let NPP to the treatment mental disorder

0 8

Nihal Amarasekera Tuesday, 29 April 2025 08:19 AM

Consider the circumstances of the accusation as a whole. Typical twister of the first degree.

0 3

Krish Tuesday, 29 April 2025 08:51 AM

Well yes but Mr RW this is, "Parliamentarian Don Arthur Chamara Sampath Dassanayake was arrested at the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption on 27th March 2025 in connection to the commission of acts of corruption by requesting sponsorships from three state banks for Provincial Council projects and crediting the funds into an account of a foundation operated in his name when he was the Chief Minister of Uva Province."

0 3

Russel Harmmer Tuesday, 29 April 2025 09:24 AM

B*******, you want to save Charmara the worst rogue who supported you. PC funds are not your grandfather's property.

0 8

Jerald B. Samarakoon (Attorney-at-Law) Tuesday, 29 April 2025 09:33 AM

Ranil we will have to value you too as the robber Charmara Sampath Dissanayake for your wrong teaching. PC money is kept by bank for safekeeping, and it is not illegal. How come Charmara withdraws this public money and spend as he wants. You being with the rogues and become a rogue to protect the rogues of Potuwa.

10 3

K.J. Kumarasinghe (Industrialist) Tuesday, 29 April 2025 09:38 AM

From the President's Fund you gave away in Millions to all the rogues of SLPP and became very unpopular. People rejected you and again and again you are protecting the rogues. Very sorry you may have to visit the courts for all your wrong deals.

10 2

Sambo Tuesday, 29 April 2025 09:59 AM

Withdrawing pc funds from fixed deposits pre maturely is no crime but the interest is a big loss for the country. If one new that they needed money more than estimated why put into a deposit and make a mess of it. If you gave the ruling then you should pay for the lost interest.

0 0

Ams Tuesday, 29 April 2025 12:00 PM

What else we the people of SRI LANKA could expect from this Central Bank Robber ? In the name "development" he ENJOYED living in the luxury life.

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