Sunday, September 6 2026
Sunday, September 6 2026
MONETABRIEF – Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake vowed on Sunday to press ahead with his anti-corruption drive, delivering a blow to what he called the “black state” holding back growth.
The recent spate of arrests by the Bribery Commission and the Criminal Investigation Department was due to a backlog of cases dating from about 2015, the president said at a public rally in Beruwala.
Some opposition groups were trying to unite against the government because they were affected by the anti-corruption drive and the campaign against narcotics, he said.
"Who in the opposition is trying to unite? Those who received various rewards and privileges from this black state; the defenders of this black state; those who lived off this black state.
"Remember this: no matter who gets agitated, we — this government — will abolish this black state; we will definitely bring it down. This must be done. Let me tell you, there is a black economy,” he said.
He said there should have been only two or three cases a year if previous administrations had pursued corruption cases.
"These backlogs have piled up. Now, why do we see arrests every day? Because everything has piled up. What happens when they pile up? They fall under the statute of limitations.
"If a lawsuit is not filed within 20 years, it is invalidated by the statute of limitations. Now, in some instances, time has run out; some cases are close to 20 years old, while others have exceeded 20 years. Therefore, should we not strengthen this mechanism?
“That is why we strengthened the Bribery Commission. We expect to establish Bribery Commission offices at provincial level,” he said.
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