Addressing the gathering, Prof. Ven. Bellanwila Vimalarathana Thera said, even a boy in the country knows that there was a scam and people discuss that the President is trying to cover up the issue by appointing a committee.
In response speaking at this function held at Abayaramaya, Narahenpita yesterday, the President Maithripala Sirisena said thus: ‘’ I am against bribery and corruption. I request the MPs who are against corruption to support the cause. I removed the former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran from his position. Then I appointed Dr. Coomaraswamy to that position. I appointed the Auditor General and I have no mandate to protect those who are involved in corruption. The report of the COPE, regarding the bond scandal was sent to the Attorney General’s Department and to the IGP to conduct investigations through the CID. I observed both political parties only accused each other during the parliamentary debate on the bond scandal. Hence, I appointed a Presidential Commission to investigate the Central Bank Bond scandal, to probe into the matter and take legal action against those who are guilty. The Commission has to sort out the matter within two or three months, since usually the investigations are dragged on for years. Bond scams took place during the tenure of the previous regime as well. We will catch the culprits of those scams too and punish them’’.
