Official arrested for Rs. 66 mn. fraud in road and stadium projects
A staff officer of the Embilipitiya Pradeshiya Sabha, Y. M. P. Bandara, was arrested on Sunday (02) by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for allegedly misappropriating Rs. 66 million meant for road and stadium construction projects that were never carried out.
The fraud involved 33 road and stadium projects supposedly conducted in 2016 and 2017 under the tenure of Athula Kumara Rahubaddha, who was the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Minister of Road Development, Rural Infrastructure, Tourism Development, Provincial Road Maintenance, Sports Development, and Youth Affairs at the time.
Disciplinary action had previously been taken against five individuals for falsifying measurement sheets to claim the projects were completed. The CID launched the investigation following a complaint by the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Chief Secretary.
Notably, 43% of the total budget allocated for road development and related sectors in the Sabaragamuwa Province for 2016/2017 was directed to the Embilipitiya area, where the fraudulent activities took place.
(dailynews.lk)
