The Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, a high-ranking official in the current ‘Compass’ administration that swept to power on an anti-corruption platform, is now embroiled in a severe crisis following serious allegations of corruption and abuse of power.
G.K.A. Chaminda Kumara Kularathna, the suspended Deputy Secretary General of Parliament, lodged a comprehensive seven-page complaint with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) today (February 2nd). The complaint details alleged misuse of government funds and property by the Speaker, claiming to expose the “despicable corruption drama hidden behind the ‘good governance’ performance” of the Compass regime.
The most serious allegation against the Speaker is the direct misappropriation of government funds amounting to nearly LKR 2 million. This involves the illegal private use of a state-owned van (WP NC 4923) for over six months, exceeding his official vehicle entitlement, and subsequently drawing vast amounts of state-funded fuel for its use.
Adding to the controversy, the complaint highlights a particularly “repugnant” act: the Speaker, who is also a Member of Parliament for the Polonnaruwa District, is accused of illegally claiming an additional fuel allowance designated for MPs, in direct violation of statutory provisions—effectively “eating from both sides” and devouring public money, an act which has drawn severe public outrage against an administration that preaches clean governance.
Furthermore, Dr. Wickramaratne is alleged to have unlawfully allocated and used a second government official residence on Loris Road, Colombo 04, in addition to his assigned official residence, without proper authorisation.
The complaint also reveals efforts by the Speaker to conceal these corrupt activities. He is accused of violating the Right to Information Act (RTI) by allegedly ordering officials to withhold information requested by civil activists. The use of power to cover up corruption suggests the current administration is adopting the same “old corrupt mechanism.”
Mr. Kularathna asserts that the democratic façade of the Compass government has been completely torn away by the Speaker’s autocratic actions, including the alleged victimisation and suspension of senior officials who attempted to expose his misconduct.
Mr. Kularathna has requested an impartial investigation under the Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 of 2023 and has sought ‘Whistleblower Protection’ legal safeguards. The head of the nation’s supreme law-making body being mired in a corruption quagmire places the current government in a highly embarrassing position, even on the international stage.
