The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) is recruiting 971 staff and aims to open 23 regional offices before the end of the year, Director General Ranga Dissanayake told Parliament’s Committee on Public Finance (CoPF).
Dissanayake said the expansion is being carried out in line with International Monetary Fund commitments and the national anti-corruption action plan. He was speaking at the Committee, chaired by MP Dr. Harsha de Silva, which approved the Commission’s 2027 budget estimates on 29 September 2026, Daily FT reported.
To hit the regional office target, existing government buildings have been inspected through District Secretaries. Some will be renovated for use and the rest taken on rent.
Equipment for the new offices is being funded externally. Under a $2.5 million grant from the Government of Japan, channelled through the UNDP, CIABOC is procuring Rs. 109 million worth of technical equipment including computers and photocopiers.
Asset declarations and late fees
The Commission has identified nearly 34,000 people required to declare their assets and liabilities under the Anti-Corruption Act, No. 9 of 2023, and is moving to collect late fees from those who have not complied. Penalties will be credited to the Commission’s own fund.
A warning about independence
Dissanayake told the Committee that a 2024 Treasury circular could get in the way. The circular requires prior Finance Ministry approval to lease vehicles, rent regional office buildings and undertake official foreign travel — three things the expansion depends on. He warned it could hamper the Commission’s work and undermine its independence.
Dr. de Silva said CIABOC must receive all the provisions it needs to operate independently, as required by the Act.
The Committee also flagged a procedural problem with the budget itself. Under the Anti-Corruption Act, the Commission’s estimates are meant to go directly to the Speaker rather than through the Finance Ministry, but the 2027 estimates did not reach the Committee with the Finance Minister’s observations until September. The Committee agreed that future estimates should reach the Speaker by 30 May.
The staffing drive comes as the Commission presses an expanding caseload, including charges against former minister Bandula Gunawardena over Rs. 90 million in alleged undisclosed assets.
