Cases withdrawn by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and by the Attorney-General’s Department due to technical errors.
| No. | Against | Allegation | Filed by | Reason Given |
| 1 | Minister of Ports and Shipping Rohitha Abeygunawardena[1] | For unlawful acquisition of assets to the value of Rs 41.2 million while serving as a Minister from 31 March 2010 up to 31 May 2014. | CIABOC | Due to technical errors |
| 2 | Former Chief Justice Mohan Pieris[2] | For failing to provide necessary instructions to take legal action against the purported irregularities which took place during the purchase of a plot of land by the Lanka Electricity Company (Pvt) Ltd (LECO) between 1st and 10th of December in 2010.
|
CIABOC | Due to technical errors |
| 3 | Former MP Sajin de Vass Gunawardena[3] | Misappropriation of a sum of Rs 883 million while functioning as the CEO of Mihin Lanka. | CIABOC
|
Due to technical errors |
| 4 | Ex-Chairman of Laksala, Anil Koswatta and three other suspects (MD of Laksala, Lakshmi Perera, Director-Financial Division Sandya Perera and Project Director Upali Perera)[4] | For engaging in a procurement process sans proper procedure in 2006 | CIABOC | Due to technical errors |
| 5 | Minister Basil Rajapaksa & the Former Director-General of the Divineguma Development Department Kithsiri Ranawaka[5] [6] | For misuse of state funds amounting to Rs.36.5 million to purchase and distribute GI pipes in the run up to the Presidential Election in 2015. | Attorney- General
|
The indictment was withdrawn under Section 194 (3) of the Criminal Procedure Code. (Having referred to the previous Divineguma case) |
Note – On 23rd March 2021, it was reported in the Ceylon Today that the new Chairman and the Commissioners of CIABOC have decided to withdraw around 45 cases that are claimed to be filed with technical errors.[7]
TISL has filed a Right to Information application with the CIABOC to obtain a list of the cases withdrawn between the period of 2018.01.01 – 2021.07.10, further inquiring the plan of action for the re-submission of those cases.[8]
Key Corruption Cases dismissed during the year
| No. | Against | Allegations | Filed by | Reason |
| 1 | Former DIG Vass Gunawardena & his wife[9] | For taking over a land in Maharagama. | Attorney General | Attorney General had filed the case exceeding the time period. |
| 2 | Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage[10] | For allegedly misappropriating state funds amounting to Rs.3.9 million as the SLFCC President during former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government. | Attorney General
|
Due to lack of evidence. |
| 3 | Minister Johnston Fernando, Ex-Sathosa Chairman Eraj Fernando, and Former Director of Operations at Sathosa Mohamed Shakeer[11] [12] | CIABOC filed 5 separate cases against these individuals, for removing 153 Sathosa workers from their official duties and using them for political activity from 2010 to 2014, causing Rs. 40 million in losses to the state. | CIABOC |
One case was dismissed due to a technical error committed by CIABOC in filing the case. In two other cases, these three accused were released on the grounds that the manner in which the case has been filed by the Bribery Commission was illegal. There has been no publicly available update about the other two cases. |
| 4 | Former Customs Prevention Division Director Ranjan Kanagasabai[13] | For allegedly soliciting and accepting a bribe of one million rupees to issue a clearance report pertaining to the goods imported by a vehicle importing private company. | CIABOC | Due to lack of evidence |
UPDATE – In April 2022, it was reported that 28 cases that were withdrawn for various reasons, were refiled by the Commission. Source – Click Here
[1] https://ceylontoday.lk/news/rohitha-released-from-case
[2] https://ceylontoday.lk/news/bribery-commission-will-withdraw-case-against-mohan-peiris
[3] https://ceylontoday.lk/news/case-against-sajin-vass-withdrawn
[4] https://ceylontoday.lk/news/laksala-ex-chairman-three-others-released-from-ciaboc-procurement-case
[5] https://asianmirror.lk/news/item/33683-basil-rajapaksa-and-kithsiri-ranawaka-acquitted-from-divineguma-case-as-attorney-general-withdraws-indictment
[6] https://www.newsfirst.lk/2021/10/15/ag-withdraws-indictments-against-basil-in-gi-pipe-case/
[7] https://ceylontoday.lk/news/ciaboc-withdrawing-around-45-bribery-cases-defence-counsel
[8] https://www.rtiwatch.lk/requests/?drawer1=CIABOC%20withdrawn%20cases
[9] https://www.newswire.lk/2021/03/15/former-dig-vass-gunawardena-wife-released-from-a-case/
[10] https://www.dailymirror.lk/breaking_news/Mahindananda-Aluthgamage-acquitted-and-released/108-206596
[11] https://www.newswire.lk/2021/01/15/court-discontinues-case-agast-jognston-fernando/
[12] https://ceylontoday.lk/news/johnston-and-two-others-released
[13] http://www.dailynews.lk/2021/01/23/law-order/239640/customs-director-acquitted-after-lengthy-bribery-trial