COPE Proceeding’s Leak by Kiriella- JVP

COPE Chairman JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti said the COPE would conclude its investigations and submit the report to the House for action in October 2016. Handunnetti charged in Parliament yesterday that Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella had leaked information to the media about contradiction of evidence by the officials of the Central Bank regarding the bond scam, and it amounted to influencing ongoing investigations.

 Handunnetti said such leakage of information prior to the release of final report on the bond issue would have an  impact  on the ongoing investigation process. Though  the Leader of the House was not a member of COPE,  how got hold of a document in this regard then, was the  question raised by Handunnetti. Further he said the Central Bank officials would come under undue pressure and influence because of this revelation.

Kiriella said he advocated the position that COPE proceedings should be open to the media for coverage.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said Parliamentary Standing Orders would be amended soon providing for it. Yet, Mr. Kiriella said the current Standing Orders sufficed for it. MP Handunnetti said he was willing to open up investigations into the bond scam for media if necessary.