By In a bold move, former Sri Lankan President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has called upon the government to utilize a recent Supreme Court ruling to reclaim assets that were allegedly misappropriated during the nation’s economic crisis. In a statement released on Sunday, November 19, Kumaratunga hailed the Supreme Court’s decision as a “rare and special” one, holding individuals accountable for their roles in bankrupting the country.
“The only question I have is, there are many other people connected to it who have not been named,” Kumaratunga remarked, emphasizing the need for further investigation into this matter. She lauded the court’s decision as a significant step towards addressing the economic turmoil that has plagued Sri Lanka.
While acknowledging that the Supreme Court had not yet sentenced those named in the verdict, Kumaratunga emphasized that citizens have the right to seek punishment and compensation through legal means. She urged millions of Sri Lankans who have suffered hardships due to the economic crisis to utilize this opportunity to obtain justice.
Kumaratunga went on to suggest that stolen assets, potentially concealed in foreign bank accounts, offshore companies, or properties within Sri Lanka, could be unearthed through police investigations, guided by the court’s verdict. She proposed that the government could seize these assets, liquidate them, and either utilize the proceeds to replenish the Treasury or redistribute them among the populace.
“This is nothing new,” Kumaratunga asserted, citing the World Bank’s Stolen Asset Recovery (SAR) initiative as an example of successful asset recovery efforts. She advocated for Sri Lanka to seek assistance from the SAR to locate and recover these hidden assets.
“In the Philippines, assets were recovered and brought back to their country, to a great extent,” Kumaratunga pointed out, emphasizing the feasibility of such an endeavour. She concluded her statement by reiterating her strong appeal to the government to take immediate action on this matter.
Chandrika Kumaratunga, was fined Rs. 3 million by the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka for facilitating a corrupt land deal. The deal involved the unlawful acquisition and subsequent sale of land for the Water’s Edge development project 31. Ronnie Peiris, a family friend of Kumaratunga, was also fined Rs. 2 million for making a profit of Rs. 57 million in the corrupt deal.
