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Bill on Tuesday to give wider powers to CIABOC
View(s):Parliament on Tuesday will debate the Commissions of Inquiry (Amendment) Bill which will enable the Commission Investigating Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) to consider material collected in the course of an investigation or an inquiry to institute criminal proceedings.
This Bill which was presented to Parliament in May last year was taken up for debate in October, but a vote on it was put off. The Bill is now scheduled for debate on Tuesday with a vote likely the same day. The delay in passing the Bill has drawn criticism from President Maithripala Sirisena who has accused the UNP of delaying its enactment.
Under this amendment, the CIABOC Director General can directly institute criminal proceedings against offences committed in terms of the Bribery Act, the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Law, the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and the Penal Code.