Sri Lanka’s top anti-graft official Ranga Dissanayake, Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), has dismissed allegations of his involvement in active politics as “completely false,” calling them part of a campaign to tarnish the Commission’s credibility.
Dissanayake, a serving High Court judge on secondment, stressed that his duty is to uphold CIABOC’s mandate “without fear or favour.” The Commission, emboldened by the 2023 anti-corruption law, has recently accelerated prosecutions, mostly targeting opposition politicians and public officials.
Responding to claims that he was once linked to the JVP, the DG denied any political affiliation, saying: “It is very clear the motive is to tarnish the Commission’s image.”
He also highlighted severe resource shortages, noting that the Commission has only 169 investigating officers and 31 legal officers, compared to a requirement of 967, with Treasury restrictions blocking new recruitment.
The NPP government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has positioned its anti-corruption drive as a central pillar of governance.
