- CID seeks CBSL assistance for inquiry
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has begun an investigation into an allegation made by the Minister of Justice, Prison Reforms and Constitutional Affairs Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe recently that a party involved in the ongoing MV X-Press Pearl compensation deliberations has received a payment $ 250 million, The Daily Morning learns.
Last week, Dr. Rajapaksa made the controversial allegation, adding that the money had apparently been sent to an account held at a British bank.
When contacted, Police Spokesperson Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Attorney Nihal Thalduwa yesterday (16) confirmed that the CID has commenced its investigation with assistance from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
SSP Thalduwa also said that the Police Department needs some time to carry out the investigations and the progress will be revealed thereafter.
“The Minister made the said allegation just two or three days ago. He had informed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to probe an allegation into the issue and then the IGP had instructed the CID to launch an investigation at the end of this week. So we cannot comment on the progress of the investigations as a considerable period of time should be given to the CID to carry it out. However we can reveal the progress and the things unveiled by the investigation in the next two weeks,” he said.
Recently, the Minister had asked IGP C. D. Wickremaratne to probe an allegation that a certain party involved in the ongoing deliberations received $ 250 million and the money was sent to an account at a British bank which allegedly causes the inordinate delay in initiating legal action against X-Press Feeders, the owners of container carrier X-Press Pearl, which sank off Colombo in early June 2021 causing a maritime disaster.
The Singapore-flagged container ship MV X-Press Pearl, only three months after being commissioned, was gutted in a fire that erupted off the western coast of Sri Lanka on 19 May 2021.
Following the disaster, the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) appointed a committee of experts comprising professors and other relevant top public officials to assess the damage. The panel handed over its second Environment Damage Assessment Report to the Attorney General’s Department on 13 January 2023.