Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday admitted that the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) established by the previous ‘Yahapalana’ Government, to investigate allegations of fraud and corruption may have been in contravention of the Police Ordinance.
He was responding to questions by the members of the Commission to probe political victimization yesterday about the legality of the FCID.
The Commission pointed out that according to the Police Ordinance, the IGP has the power only to carry out transfers and disciplinary inquiries of police officers and the Act does not empower the IGP to establish special police units.
The former Prime Minister stated that the Cabinet Memorandum submitted by him on January 21, 2015 proposed to set up an Anti-Corruption Committee office and the relevant police unit was set up by the Police.
When a Lawyer questioned how the police unit came into being under Section 55 of the Police Ordinance when according to the law, the IGP does not have the power to set up a special police unit.
Ranil Wickremesinghe replied, “Without the powers of the Act, it is not possible to do so.”
The former Prime Minister gave this evidence testifying in the probe on a complaint made to the Commission by Samurdhi Director Bandula Thilakasiri.
