Ex- Agri Secretary Questioned Over Rs. 1.26 Bn Building Deal

COLOMBO (News 1st): Former Agriculture Ministry Secretary B. Wijayaratne was summoned to record a statement before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

This is with regard to investigations into a controversial government procurement decision involving a high-value building lease for the Ministry of Agriculture.

The former top official appeared before the Commission at around 9:00 a.m. today to provide a statement in connection with allegations that the building had been obtained on a rental basis in violation of established government procurement procedures and without adequate transparency.

The investigation centers on the leasing of a privately owned DPJ building for use by the Ministry of Agriculture, reportedly at a significantly elevated cost. 

The Auditor General’s Department had earlier flagged the transaction, recommending a formal and comprehensive investigation into the actions of officials involved in securing the building lease between 2015 and 2019. The audit findings raised serious concerns about the financial prudence and procedural compliance of the agreement.

According to audit revelations, despite the Ministry of Agriculture having access to approximately one hectare of state-owned land in Battaramulla, authorities opted not to construct a government building on the site.

Instead, a decision was made to lease the private property at a monthly rental of Rs. 21 million.

Over a five-year period, the total cost of the lease amounted to a staggering Rs. 1.26 billion.