Former Director General of the Land Reform Commission (LRC), Liyanage Padmasiri, has acknowledged that a statement he made alleging that Kandy District MP Chamindrani Kiriella had illegally acquired 43 acres of land in Hantana, Kandy, was false.
He has formally tendered an apology to the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP and expressed regret over the incident.
Presenting his apology before Parliament’s Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Mr. Padmasiri stated that he made the claim while under intense pressure.
Responding to the matter, Ms. Kiriella said that Mr. Padmasiri had revealed he was compelled to make the false allegation—that she had illegally acquired 43 acres of land—during a response to a question raised by a Member of Parliament. She further stated that the incident demonstrates a tendency by the government to use public officials to target political opponents, while remaining silent and shifting blame onto those officials when such falsehoods are exposed.
The SJB MP also emphasized that the Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) should be held accountable for permitting the release of unedited video footage of COPE proceedings containing such false statements. She noted that these videos are widely used for political advantage. Additionally, she criticized the decision not to summon the MP responsible for the claim before the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, describing it as inappropriate.
The disputed statement regarding the Hantana land was made during COPE proceedings held on July 17. Ms. Kiriella raised a privilege issue concerning the matter on July 22. The Committee on Ethics and Privileges, which reviewed her complaint on January 9, determined that the statement was false and communicated its decision to COPE.
