Nimal Siripala re-appointed as Cabinet Minister

MP Nimal Siripala de Silva has been sworn in as the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation. 

He was sworn in before President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat today (02), the PMD said.

Silva had temporarily resigned from the portfolio of Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation Services on July 06, pending the completion of an inquiry into bribery allegations against him.

Accordingly, he has been re-appointed to the position after being acquitted of the bribery charges levelled against him by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa during a recent parliamentary session.

On July 22, a three-member committee was appointed by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, upon the request of the former minister, to probe the allegations.

The committee was chaired by Retired High Court Judge, Kusala Sarojini Weerawardena, PC, while retired Senior Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) of Police S.M. Wickremasinghe and retired Special Grade Officer of Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS) S.M.G.K. Perera had served as its members.

The panel looked into the matter raised by the Opposition Leader, based on the news item published in the social, print and electronic media accusing a cabinet minister of demanding a bribe from Japan’s Taisei Corporation.

The committee report on the incident was handed over to Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake on July 31.

Accordingly, the committee members have found that the former minister is not guilty of the accusations levelled against him.