Another USD 625,000 goes missing

Colombo, April 29 (Daily Mirror) - Days after a major controversy took the nation by storm over the missing USD 2.5 million money heist which went missing from the Treasury which was to be paid to Australia's Export Finance Agency, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa yesterday revealed another shocking theft claiming that USD 625,000 which had been released by the Sri Lanka Post to be paid to the US Post had also gone missing.

Minister Jayatissa told a weekly media briefing that an investigation had been launched after a complaint had been lodged by the US Post and said that although the Sri Lanka Post had released the monies, the payment had never reached the foreign party.

The Minister said the incident came to light a few weeks ago and that an investigation was launched by the Postal Department and the Criminal Investigations Department.

He said according to the available information, the payment regarding the USD 625,000 was made on two occasions and investigations will find out how the money went missing without crediting it to the intended receiver.

Responding to a question, the Minister said it is not certain whether the two incidents of payment to the US Post and Australia's Export Finance Agency is interconnected.

Responding to another question whether the Cabinet was unware of the missing USD 2.5 million, the Minister said when some incidents are reported at the institutional level, investigations are conducted accordingly and that all the incidents are not discussed in the Cabinet.

He said action will be taken against any official if they are found guilty of any fraudulent act adding that submissions will be made to the Court following CID investigations.