Four years after the Bond Scam perpetrators remain free

COLOMBO (News 1st) - President Maithripala Sirisena spoke about the Central Bank treasury bond scam at the event to commemorate the 61st anniversary of Sri Lanka Audit Services. President Maithripala Sirisena, the Auditor General, the Speaker and the Chairman of the COPE Sunil Handunnetti attended the event. The head of the state noted that the perpetrators of the bond scam will never be brought to justice as the perpetrators themselves are running the government. "There should be a government capable of bringing Arjuna Mahendran back," he said. He added that if they are to be taken before a court a new government should be formed. He stressed that he appointed a committee to look into the matter in vain. He noted that the forensic audit is a clear recommendation and yet it's not carried out. He added that it was his sole intervention that led to the amendment of the sentence to punish the perpetrators by the Bribery Commission. He said that when the Auditor General appeared to present the evidence regarding the bond scam MPs of the governing party distracted the matter by inquiring whether the Auditor General was qualified for his position. The President finally noted that he had appointed a committee to investigate corruption within the government and it has already received over a thousand complaints. The Chairman of the COPE, Sunil Handunnetti expressed these views at the event. He noted that the bond scam occurred on a day like this four years ago and despite the COPE report and the President appointed commission, the perpetrators are nowhere close to being dealt by the law. Although the extradition law is not considered, the former governor has fled the country, "He was asked to leave the country to be precise" he added. He stressed that all the perpetrators are at large. He also noted how the members of the COPE and the Auditor General were tormented when they raised concerns on the matter.