The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has appointed a five-member committee to run through the conduct of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) study that has allegedly been done without proper procedure.
Media reported last week that JICA had engaged a team of five from the BASL late last year for a study on bribery and corruption, for which the BASL had received a grant of over Rs. 21 million.
However, the report alleged that over Rs. 19 million had been divided among the five members and that they had not obtained approval from the BASL or the Executive Committee for the study.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, BASL President Kaushalya Nawaratne, PC said that following a meeting yesterday (18), it had been decided to appoint a five-member committee of senior President’s Counsels (PCs) to inquire into the conduct of the programme.
“They will advise on how to ensure non-recurrence of such incidents as well,” said Nawaratne.
Accordingly, the team will include President’s Counsels Faisz Musthapha, Dr. K. Kanag-Isvaran, Ikram Mohamed, Geoffrey Alagaratnam, and Rienzie Arsecularatne.
The allegations had first been raised at a meeting held earlier this month.
(The Morning)
