Amaraweera reports Johnny to CIABOC Rs 3B rip-off at the CWE

United People’s Freedom Alliance General Secretary and Minister of Fisheries Mahinda Amaraweera has lodged a complaint at the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) against Kurunegala District MP Johnston Fernando.

The complaint relates to Fernando’s actions as the former Minister of Internal Trade and Cooperatives during the period of the previous regime of which Amaraweera was also a Cabinet Minister.

Fernando had allegedly ordered large quantities of rice far in excess of the Cabinet approved quantity of 5,000 tons at the time, Amaraweera told Ceylon Today.

He said that this purchase had caused losses to the CWE of over Rs 3 billion.

There had been a complaint previously made by the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) to the CIABOC in this regard, which in turn has handed over the matter to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), he said.

MP Fernando was not available for comment.