Minister Malik Samarawickrama says that Perpetual Treasuries, the controversial primary dealer at the centre of the Central Bank bond scam, or its members did not fund the United National Party (UNP).
The Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade, who is also the current UNP Chairman, made this statement while testifying before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry investigating the treasury bond issuance.
Minister Samarawickrama and Minister Kabir Hashim were summoned to give testimonies at the commission today (11), following claims that they had participated in a discussion with regard to the issuance of Central Bank treasury bonds in 2015.
Delivering their statements to the commission, the ministers conceded that they were at a breakfast meeting with then Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake and then Central Bank governor Arjuna Mahendran on February 26, 2015 - the day before the controversial bond auction.
However, they pointed out that the meeting was with regard to requesting funds for projects to be carried out by the Road Development Authority (RDA) and not to discuss the treasury bond auction on February 27, 2015.
