The Bribery Commission has taken steps to file a case against former Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena and two others. This is in connection with an incident in which the government allegedly lost over Rs. 1.7 million by publishing newspaper advertisements with the funds of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka in 2014 for the commencement of the second term of then President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
In addition to the former minister, the Bribery Commission has filed indictments against former Director General of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka Jayantha Edirisinghe before the Colombo High Court.
They have been accused of committing an offence under the Anti-Corruption Act by publishing newspaper supplements with funds from the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka in 11 newspapers on 19th November 2014 in celebration of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s second inauguration, causing a loss of Rs. 1,748,877.76 to the government.