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No need to remove Treasury Secretary over US$2.5 million cyber heist ...
There is no requirement to remove the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma from office in connection with the reported incident involving US$2.5 million intended for external debt repayment but allegedly diverted to another party, the Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has stated. Speaking at the weekly Cabinet media briefing held today (05), Minister Jayatissa said various parties had commented on the matter, but the Finance Ministry had already taken prompt action once the issue was identified. He stated that complaints to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) had been filed with the approval of the Finance Ministry Secretary. He added that internal investigations are underway and four ministry officials have been suspended with the Secretary’s consent. Minister Jayatissa emphasized that all actions taken, including external complaints and internal disciplinary measures, were carried out with the authorization of the Secretary, noting that no such procedures could proceed without his approval. Addressing reports regarding dual citizenship, the Minister dismissed claims that Dr. Suriyapperuma holds dual nationality, stating that he has never been a dual citizen while serving in any official capacity, including as a Member of Parliament or Deputy Minister. He further said that if such claims were true, legal action could have been pursued, and reiterated that the allegations are incorrect.
US$ 2.5m scam: Treasury Secretary skips COPF, Govt cites President's ...
Deputy Minister of Media Kaushalya Ariyarathna yesterday said Treasury Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma has not refused to appear before the Committee on Public Finance (COPF), amid criticism over his absence from today’s (30) session. Her remarks came after COPF Chair Harsha de Silva said Suriyapperuma had informed him via letter that he would be unable to attend the Committee meeting to address concerns over the missing US$ 2.5 million payment. COPF had summoned the Treasury Secretary and senior Finance Ministry officials to explain the incident, in which funds owed by the Government to an Australian creditor were allegedly misdirected to an unrelated party. Responding to the development, Ariyarathna said the Secretary’s absence was linked to a forthcoming statement by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Parliament regarding the cyber-related incident. She maintained that Suriyapperuma had not declined to appear and would do so after the President’s address. However, de Silva strongly criticised the move, stating that appearing before COPF is a constitutional duty, not a matter of discretion, as Parliament holds full control over public finance. In a post on X, he said the Secretary’s failure to attend was “unacceptable,” adding that COPF is directly responsible for oversight on debt repayment and other key financial matters. He further said the Secretary had an opportunity to “set the record straight” if any allegations were incorrect, questioning why he had failed to appear. De Silva also argued that citing a future Presidential statement as a reason for absence was “unrelated” and did not justify avoiding parliamentary oversight. The COPF Chair also noted that the position of Treasury Secretary carries significant responsibility, particularly given Suriyapperuma’s recent transition from a political role, and warned that such actions undermine the system of checks and balances. The incident involving the missing US$ 2.5 million is currently under investigation by multiple State agencies, with several Finance Ministry officials already suspended in connection with the matter.
COPF grills treasury secretary over $2.5 million cyber fraud
Treasury secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma appeared before the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) in parliament yesterday (30), accompanied by senior officials from the finance ministry and the central bank, to answer questions over the alleged misdirection of USD 2.5 million.
US$ 2.5 Million Treasury Loss: Secretary to Appear before CoPF Today
April 30, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka's Treasury Secretary Dr Harshana Suriyapperuma, is due to face questioning before the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) at 1 pm this (30) afternoon amid mounting concern over a suspected financial breach involving millions of US dollars. The parliamentary panel, chaired by Dr Harsha de Silva, issued summons for the Treasury Secretary and several senior ...
