Former Minister Johnston Fernando arrived at the Police Financial Crimes Investigation Division today, January 03 to provide a statement.

The former minister was summoned to record a statement with regard to an ongoing investigation into alleged financial irregularities at the Mahapola Fund, said to have taken place during his tenure as Minister of Co-operatives’ and Internal Trade.

Meanwhile, a conversation took place between Johnston Fernando and several journalists…

Journalist :

“Minister Sarath Amunugama said that an Act would be tabled in Parliament to apprehend the thieves in the previous government”.

Johnston Fernando :

“…Well that is good. Minister Amunugama is speaking as if he wasn’t in the previous government. So, we would like to ask Amunugama does everyone in the government have a clean slate? Everyone are rogues. But if everyone in this government is clean, we ask Amunugama if the Prime Minister isn’t involved in a theft? Does his tongue not move to speak about the Prime Minister? Does Amunugama not see the theft the Prime Minister and the Central Bank Governor committed. Since the UNP eye has gone blind, does he only see with the other eye? So, technically, whatever Amunugama says is invalid now. Amunugama will lose an election if one is held tomorrow…”.

Journalist :

“Though you speak like this, you were not even present for the budget debate”.

Johnston Fernando :

“…We had placed smart people to speak during the budget debate. So, we are not needed to speak any further right now. The people of this country went ahead and voted without listening to what we said. We have given them the freedom to realise. We say to all the UNP supporters that what Ranil Wickremesinghe is doing, is a facade, a lie. He deals with friends and partners..

..All the ministers’ are just lying around doing nothing, like scarecrows. It is the friends and associates who are running the country and committing thievery. Even the Central Bank was run by a friend. It is the friend’ who have been given ministries and brought through the National List. Seventy to 80 year old’ have been brought in to steal, and nothing else. That is how everything happened within COPE..

..During the previous general election, the president convened all of us and said that he is dissolving Parliament to save the Prime Minister..

..Ministers in the UNP are well aware of this. They know that the circle of friends’ led by Malik Samarawickrama is leading the corrupt activities. The UNP supporters are watching on as their party is being destroyed. This time will be worse than what happened in 2001 to 2004. S,o a large swathe of its members are to join us. Keep it written that I said this outside the FCID…”.

• General Daya Ratnayake appointed as the Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Port Authority
• Indian citizenship bill for illegal Non-Muslim immigrants challenged at the Supreme Court
• If we can benefit from MCC we should not refuse it : Dullas Alahapperuma
• Sri Lanka defeats India in athletics SAG 2019
• President Gotabaya Rajapaksa assures media freedom during his administration