Human trafficking to Oman: diplomatic passport of embassy official revoked

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) says that the diplomatic passport of the third secretary of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Oman, E. Kushan, has been revoked.

The official in question has been accused of allegedly being involved in the human trafficking racket where Sri Lankan females seeking foreign employment as domestic workers had been sent to Oman on tourist visas and later used for sex trafficking. 

Minister of Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara recently informed parliament that the officer in question has been interdicted and that he will be placed under arrest upon arrival in Sri Lanka for further investigations.

Meanwhile the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) on Tuesday disclosed that complaints against the currently suspended officer of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Oman were made since February this year, however a decision on the matter has been delayed.

At the Committee meeting, the Additional Auditor General. Mr. P. L. K Perera pointed out that on 28.02.2022, the former chairman of the Foreign Employment Bureau has requested an investigation through the Internal Audit Division regarding this particular officer. 

The Additional Auditor General further pointed out that financial fraud, certificate fraud, etc. had been reported regarding this official.

Thus, it was disclosed that the former chairman of the Foreign Employment Bureau had requested the Ministry in February of this year to make arrangements for him to be brought back to Sri Lanka immediately, as investigations may be hindered if this person remains in the post. 

The committee expressed its strong displeasure for not taking action until the incident received a lot of publicity through the media.

The Director General of the Foreign Employment Bureau said that on 28.02.2022, according to the request of the former chairman of the Foreign Employment Bureau, an investigation on this official was conducted through the Internal Audit Division. 

However, the allegations could not be confirmed. The Director General said here that after calling for a report from the Ambassador of Oman and based on the investigation report received from the Criminal Investigation Department on the 4th of November, the bureau took action to suspend the said officer.