Lanka-e-news: 25/02/2006"
Numerous complaints have been made to the Bribery and Corruption Commission regarding embezzlement and misappropriation of local and foreign aid amounting to millions of rupees received for tsunami recovery efforts, Investigating Director of the Commission, Superintendent of Police Neville Guruge said.
He divulged this at a media briefing held in Colombo this morning and added many complaints have been received from the Northern, Eastern and the Southern provinces.
He claimed that the majority of these complaints were against Grama Niladharis and officials attached to the Divisional Secretariats.
There have been numerous occasions where Grama Niladharis had distributed tsunami aid among their associates instead of those genuinely affected by the disaster and legal action has already been constituted against 10 such Grama Niladharis, SP Guruge said.
The Legal Aid Commission has appointed legal officers to probe misappropriation of tsunami funds but they should really have been appointed a year ago in 2005, Mr. Guruge noted. However he welcomed the move as a positive sign even at this late stage.
The Investigations Director of the Bribery Commission said on the basis of information received by the Commission, action would be taken to bring the accused to the book.
Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga recently stated that the Tsunami Fund has 23 billion rupees and requested President Rajapaksa to place before the people how these funds were spent. She also requested him to clear his name regarding the Helping Hambantota account.
Numerous complaints have been made to the Bribery and Corruption Commission regarding embezzlement and misappropriation of local and foreign aid amounting to millions of rupees received for tsunami recovery efforts, Investigating Director of the Commission, Superintendent of Police Neville Guruge said.
He divulged this at a media briefing held in Colombo this morning and added many complaints have been received from the Northern, Eastern and the Southern provinces.
He claimed that the majority of these complaints were against Grama Niladharis and officials attached to the Divisional Secretariats.
There have been numerous occasions where Grama Niladharis had distributed tsunami aid among their associates instead of those genuinely affected by the disaster and legal action has already been constituted against 10 such Grama Niladharis, SP Guruge said.
The Legal Aid Commission has appointed legal officers to probe misappropriation of tsunami funds but they should really have been appointed a year ago in 2005, Mr. Guruge noted. However he welcomed the move as a positive sign even at this late stage.
The Investigations Director of the Bribery Commission said on the basis of information received by the Commission, action would be taken to bring the accused to the book.
Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga recently stated that the Tsunami Fund has 23 billion rupees and requested President Rajapaksa to place before the people how these funds were spent. She also requested him to clear his name regarding the Helping Hambantota account.
