According to the Island newspaper, the Bribery or Corruption Investigation Commission has decided to question ousted President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa about the sugar tax fraud.
According to reports, Mr. Bandula Gunawardena, the Minister of Trade at the time, was summoned before the Bribery Commission to provide a statement regarding the infamous sugar tax fraud, but he has requested another date.
Last Monday, the Bribery Commission summoned Mr. Bandula Gunawardena to appear before the commission.
However, the minister is said to have stated that he requires another date to prepare because he received the notification very close to that date.
Mr. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, State Minister for Finance, recently stated in Parliament that the sugar tax fraud cost the Treasury 16 billion rupees.
Furthermore, Mr. Bandula Gunawardena stated that despite being the Minister of Trade at the time, he was unaware of the decision to reduce the fifty rupee tax on a kilo of sugar to twenty five cents. He went on to say that it was while he was in the sanctuary that he learned the government had decided to reduce the sugar tax to 25 weeks.
Mr. Bandula Gunawardena also stated that the president was under pressure from several government officials to make that decision.
You can read the news here.https://island.lk/rs-16-bn-revenue-loss-ciaboc-summons-bandula-over-sugar-duty-scam/