President Maithripala Sirisena today gave an assurance that former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga never robbed public money when she was in power.
Sirisena made this remark when he delivered a speech at an event in Colombo to mark the 70th birthday of former President Kumaratunga. The event was also attended by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
This was the first public event they attended together after the UPFA General Secretary’s announcement that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa would be given nominations. There were rumours in the political circles that Kumaratunga was irked by the decision.
“Even some sections in our camp raise questions about what the former President to our country. I can tell you what she did not do. She never robbed public money when she was in power. She was never involved in corruption. There was internal democracy in the party when she was the party leader,” Sirisena said. By making the statement, the President alluded to the conduct of his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe too, making a speech at the event, explained his long-standing relations with former President Kumaratunga.
However she was fined for corruption in the Water’s Edge verdict in which she was convicted of corruption and fined Rs. 3 million by the Supreme Court.
