By The Pulseline News Desk
The investigation into the disappearance of $ 2.5 million earmarked by the Treasury for state debt repayments has entered a new phase, with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) submitting its findings to the Committee on Public Finance (COPF).
The report was taken up for discussion at a COPF meeting held in Parliament on June 23 under the chairmanship of opposition member of parliament (MP) Harsha de Silva. The meeting brought together senior government officials, lawmakers and representatives of key state institutions as the committee continued its examination of the missing funds.
The CBSL’s report was prepared following a review of a separate report submitted earlier by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. That report had outlined the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the funds, which had reportedly been set aside by the Treasury to meet government debt servicing obligations.
During the meeting, committee members engaged in extensive discussions on the findings, seeking clarity on how the funds went missing and examining the mechanisms that should have safeguarded such transactions.
COPF Chairman Harsha de Silva said the committee would now consider both the Finance Ministry’s report and the observations submitted by the CBSL before compiling a final report. The committee’s conclusions and recommendations are expected to be presented to Parliament in the coming weeks.
The meeting was attended by senior officials including Finance Ministry Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma, CBSL Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Digital Economy Ministry Secretary Varuna Sri Dhanapala and representatives of the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT).
The case has attracted significant attention given that the missing funds were reportedly allocated for sovereign debt obligations, raising broader questions about financial controls, oversight mechanisms and accountability within state institutions. COPF’s final report is expected to shed further light on the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the funds and identify any corrective measures required to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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