It is reported that Mr. Nimal Siripala de Silva, who recently resigned from the position of Minister of Ports, Navigation and Aviation, is scheduled to take the oath again in the presence of President Ranil Wickramasinghe this morning (2).
Mr. Nimal Siripala de Silva was also notified yesterday (1) to come to the Presidential Secretariat this morning (2).
Mr. Nimal Siripala de Silva resigned from the ministerial position on the 6th of last month in order to create an opportunity for an independent investigation regarding an incident in which a minister allegedly accepted a bribe from a Japanese company.
The report of the commission of inquiry was handed over to the President’s Secretary, Mr. Saman Ekanayake, yesterday (30), and it is said from sources that the report of the committee has shown that Mr. Nimal Siripala is innocent of that charge.
According to sources, he will be given the ministerial position again.
In the past, there were accusations from various parties that a cabinet minister had received a bribe from Japan’s Taisei Company, and Mr. Sajith Premadasa, the leader of the opposition, also accused him in parliament.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa decided to conduct an investigation into the incident when he was the President, but due to his resignation, the investigation was not carried out.
Later, according to a request made by Mr. Nimal Siripala de Silva, Acting President Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe appointed a three-member committee to investigate the matter.
Ms. Kusala Sarojani Weerawardena as the chairman of that committee; the other members of that committee were retired Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police S.M. Wickramasinghe and S., who was a senior officer in the administrative service. M. G. K., and Mr. Perera officiated.