Reported by a Special Correspondent.
A serious allegation was leveled in Parliament today (05) against the Private Secretary to the Speaker, accusing him of directly interfering with an ongoing investigation conducted by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) against the Speaker.
SJB Parliamentarian Harshana Rajakaruna (Gampaha District) tabled a letter dated February 3, 2026, sent by the Speaker’s Private Secretary, Chameera Gallege, to the Secretary General of Parliament. The MP alleged that the 15-point questionnaire included in the letter is a calculated attempt to intimidate officials and subvert the investigation.
Targets of the Inquiry: Investigating Officers under Scrutiny?
The letter in question seeks detailed information regarding the Speaker’s privileges, fuel allowances, and vehicle usage. However, the most contentious points involve inquiries into the officials who conducted the preliminary investigations. Key highlights of the letter include:
Scrutinizing Investigators: Points 10, 11, and 12 of the letter specifically question the allowances paid to the former Deputy Secretary General of Parliament for conducting the preliminary inquiry and the legal basis for such payments.
Comparative Benefits: The letter requests data on fuel and benefits provided to former Speakers during the 8th and 9th Parliaments, presumably to justify current expenditures.
Logistics & Assets: It seeks clarity on the history of vehicle WP NC 4923 and details regarding food expenses for the Speaker and his staff.
Violation of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 of 2023
MP Rajakaruna argued that this intervention constitutes a criminal offense under the Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 of 2023. He cited specific legal provisions:
- Section 3(5): Guarantees the independence of the Commission and prohibits external interference.
- Sections 127(1)(a) and 127(1)(o): Explicitly state that obstructing an investigation, influencing witnesses, or tampering with evidence are serious offenses punishable by law.
“The Speaker’s Private Secretary has no legal authority to interfere with CIABOC proceedings. Attempting to interrogate the details of investigating officers while a probe is active is a direct form of intimidation,”
the MP stated on the floor of the House.
Call for Immediate Investigation
The MP further emphasized that everyone, including the Speaker and his staff, is subject to the law of the land. He urged the Bribery Commission to launch a separate investigation into the conduct of the Private Secretary for allegedly using his office to hinder an active corruption probe.
The letter, which is now part of the parliamentary record (Hansard), has sparked a fresh debate on the transparency of the Speaker’s office and the protection of whistleblowers within the state sector.