Finance Ministry Secretary to Remain in Post, Says Govt After Cyber Theft Case

COLOMBO (News 1st); The government today responded to allegations surrounding the theft of USD 2.5 million by cybercriminals during the weekly Cabinet decision briefing.

Responding to a question on claims that the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance holds dual citizenship, Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa addressed the issue directly.

“If he was a dual citizen while serving as a Member of Parliament and a Deputy Minister, or while serving as the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, you would in fact be able to take legal action against him. Therefore, he is not a dual citizen. I state this very responsibly, he has not been a dual citizen at any time while holding any of these positions,” Dr. Jayatissa said.

When asked whether the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance would continue to remain in his position, Dr. Jayatissa said there had been no discussion at the Cabinet regarding the matter, nor was there any need for such a discussion.

“There was no Cabinet discussion regarding the position of the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, and there is no requirement for that,” he said. “Once the information related to this incident came to light, it was the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance and the senior management of the Ministry who took decisions and initiated action.”

Dr. Jayatissa explained that complaints to the Criminal Investigation Department and the Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) were made with the approval of the Finance Ministry Secretary. He added that internal investigations were initiated, and four officials were suspended with the knowledge and approval of the Secretary.

“No complaint related to this matter has been made without the consent of the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance,” he said, adding that the Ministry itself identified the issue through its own processes and proceeded with investigations by referring the matter to the relevant specialised institutions.

“As such, there is absolutely no need for the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance to step down,” Dr. Jayatissa said.

Responding to another question on criticism that the issue was addressed only after opposition representatives revealed it, Dr. Jayatissa rejected the claim.

“In truth, no one in the opposition knew about this before the four officials were suspended. Only after their suspension did some individuals begin issuing media statements,” he said. “Regarding the Postal Department, investigations are under way into instances where funds were not received. These are matters we identify and investigate once the government and institutions become aware of them.”

Dr. Jayatissa stressed that protecting the credibility of the institutional system during investigations is crucial, adding that this responsibility lies with the government, not the opposition.

“The credibility of institutions such as the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance must be safeguarded,” he said. “On the other hand, what is the outcome of distorting facts and creating media and social media hype over minor details? This is extremely serious.”

He charged that opposition politicians are engaged in competition for media attention, while ignoring the gravity of the consequences. “Some of these issues involve people’s lives,” Dr. Jayatissa said.

“Spreading false news, creating fake posts and circulating them before investigations are concluded has already resulted in serious harm. You know what has happened as a result.”

He further stated that complaints are likely to be made to the relevant institutions by the family of the late Director of the External Resources Department.

“Posting false information, creating fake posts, sharing them, causing severe distress to individuals, branding them as suspects without due investigation, the final outcome of such actions is the destruction of lives,” Dr. Jayatissa warned.