Sri Lanka's head of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), Kanishka D. Wijeratne, has agreed to step down after Sri Lanka's Supreme Court accepted a case challenging his appointment.
The case was brought forwards to Sri Lanka's Supreme Court by a fundamental rights petition by Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) alleging that his appointment was in violation of the Anti-Corruption Act and was made in a manner than lacked transparency and did not adhere to proper procedure. Wijeratne was initally appointed to the role by Sri Lanka's former President Ranil Wickremesinghe in April 2024.
The petitioners also alledged that Wijeratne does not fully meet the necessary qualifications and legal standards required for the position. The Supreme Court bench, composed of Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, Janak de Silva, and Kumuduni Wickramasinghe, presided over the hearing. Multiple respondents were named in the petitions, including Wijeratne himself. Petitioners claimed that Wijeratne’s appointment was unconstitutional and unlawful, and called for it to be revoked.
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