The Civil Organizations Coalition yesterday (20) lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), calling for an investigation into the storage of 22,850 metric tons of substandard fuel, valued at over Rs. 89 billion, at the Muthurajawela fuel storage complex.
According to the complaint, the company responsible for importing the fuel has since left the country with the funds, and it has been revealed that the fuel stock—confirmed to be substandard—is currently being mixed with other fuel supplies and distributed.
Speaking on the matter, Civil Organizations Coalition representative Ananda Palitha stated:
“Today, the public is being forced to pay higher prices for fuel because of this situation. More than USD 18.7 million has been paid to the company concerned for importing this substandard fuel, which amounts to over Rs. 89 billion. This substandard 92-octane petrol and other fuel stocks have remained in the Muthurajawela storage facilities for the past 14 months.
This constitutes a serious misuse of public funds. We have submitted these facts to the Criminal Investigation Department along with DVD evidence. We have requested that an impartial investigation be carried out and that those responsible be brought before the law.”
A group of civil society representatives were present at the time the complaint was filed, including Sanjeewa Dhammika, Secretary of the Electricity Users Association, Sanjaya Mahawatta, Chairman of the I Am to My Country Organization, along with several other activists.
