The preliminary objection filed by the former Central Environment Authority Chairman challenging his arrest was dismissed on 20.02.2024 by the Supreme Court without even taking it up for hearing.

Another awareness programme on combatting bribery and corruption was conducted on 15.02. 2024 with the objective of moving Sri Lanka towards integrity, and officers of the Colombo Municipal Council were the target group of the present awareness programme.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption conducts a series of Corruption Prevention programmes to minimize bribery and corruption in the public sector and create a society that upholds integrity. Accordingly, another programme of this series was conducted on 09.02.2024 for officers of the Department of Agrarian Development, and used the department auditorium for the purpose.

In a proactive move against corruption, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption’s (CIABOC) Prevention Unit conducted a prevention program for Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Electricity Superintendents. Held on February 15th, 2024, at the Dehiwala Regional Center auditorium, the program aimed to equip CEB personnel with prevention strategies aligned with the newly enacted No. 09 of 2023 Anti-Corruption Act.

CIABOC (Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption) and UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) joined forces to host their Training of Trainers (TOT) program in the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka, achieving resounding success.

As outlined in the National Action Plan for Combatting Bribery and Corruption in Sri Lanka, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption conducts programmes to raise awareness of the officers in the public service. Accordingly, it conducts a series of programmes for officers of the Department of Motor Traffic, and one programme of the series was conducted at Motel Shanaya on 20th January 2024 for officers serving in Matara, Galle, Hambantota and Monaragala Districts.

The third prevention programme for officers of the Department of Agrarian Services was conducted on 08th February 2024 and, 100 officers of the head office attended it. Prevention Officers Mr. Sampath Arachchige, Mrs. J. L. A. Udeshika Madhubashani and Mrs. Rushanthi Dilshani provided the resource contribution for the programme.

A series of training programmes are being conducted with high success covering all 09 provinces to train the Integrity Officers appointed under the National Action Plan for Combatting Bribery and Corruption in Sri Lanka, formulated with the vision of elevating Sri Lanka to greatness by creating a generation endowed with pride and integrity. Six provinces have already been covered, and the seventh programme, conducted on 23.01.2024, covered the Sabaragamuwa province.

A discussion with all stakeholder institutions conducting co-curricular activities in schools was held in the Education Ministry auditorium on 19.01.2024 to discuss the co-curricular activity Action Plan to be implemented in schools during 2024 and about the issues pertaining to it. Mrs. Dushmanthi Rajapaksha (Assistant Director General), Mrs. Udeshika Jayasekara (Prevention Officer) and Mrs. Gayashani Uswatta (Legal Assistant) represented the Commission. The Commission received the praise of the Education Ministry for the programmes it implements in compliance with the MOU it signed with the Education Ministry in 2021. Discussions first focused on the programmes CIABOC conducted for students, teachers, Principals and teacher trainees in 2023. It next moved to the programmes CIABOC intends to implement this year under the funding of the JURE project of UNDP. It was suggested to focus more on raising the awareness of Vice Principals this year. Possibility of including bribery and corruption related-laws in the school curriculum was another matter discussed.

In an ongoing effort to combat bribery and corruption, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Briberies and Corruption, since mid-2023, has spearheaded an initiative aimed at fostering public engagement in reporting such incidents. The campaign strategically placed specially designed stickers in prominent locations frequented by the general public, starting with Galle, Kandy, and Anuradhapura, and concluding with Jaffna in December, specifically targeting the railway station and various towns.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption conducts programmes for school children under the theme, “Let’s Endow a Generation Possessing High Integrity” and two more workshops of this programme were conducted for 100 students and teachers of Aanamaduwa Model College and Anamaduwa Central College, Puttalum and for 100 students and teachers of Royal College, Seevalia Maha Vidyalaya, Vilayaya Central College and Ananda Balika Vidyalaya, Polonnaruwa.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption has conducted a number of programmes for school children under the theme, “Let’s Endow a Generation Possessing High Integrity”. Moving forward, it conducted several more workshops and covered 250 students and teachers of Dharmadutha Vidyalaya, Vihara Maha Devi Balika Vidyalaya, Sujatha Maha Vidyalaya, Uva Maha Vidyalaya, Dhammananda Maha Vidyalaya, Udayaraja Maha Vidyalaya, Vishaka Balika Maha Vidyalaya and Rahula Maha Vidyalaya, Badulla, 250 students and teachers of Swarnapali Balika Maha Vidyalaya, Walisinghe Harischandra Maha Vidyalaya, Niwanthaka Chethiya Maha Vidyalaya, Mihintale Maha Vidyalaya and Thalawa Maha Vidyalaya, Anuradhapura, and 250 students and teachers of Wayamba Royal College, President Girls’ College, Kotalawala Maha Vidyalaya, Lakdas Vidyalaya nd Nissanka Maha Vidyalaya, Kurunegala.