The Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) to investigate allegations of political victimisation is conducting inquiries into 7,500 petitions received from state sector employees, its chairman Gamini Lokuge told Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Minister Lokuge was appointed the new chairman of the Commission after Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, who served as the former chairman was appointed as the 26th Speaker of Parliament.
Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, former ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Patali Champika Ranawaka, and parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake gave their statements at the PCoI to investigate allegations of political victimisation yesterday.
This follows a complaint filed by Kithsiri Ranawaka, a former Director of Divi Neguma Department.
Accordingly, former Ministers Rauff Hakeem, Sarath Fonseka, and Malik Samarawickrema, TNA leader R. Sampanthan and MP M A Sumanthiran PC were also summoned by the Commission to record their statements as they were also cited in the complaint.
They served as members of the Anti-Corruption Secretariat under the former government.
Former Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga was called to record a statement following a complaint against him that he withheld the release of a container to seek political revenge.