The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has formally launched an investigation into an alleged fraud against the government involving the importation of rapid antigen test kits valued at Rs. 3.1 billion through an unregistered company.
The probe was triggered by a complaint lodged with CIABOC on December 19, 2024 by Sanjaya Mahawatta, President of the “Magen Ratata” (Protect the Country) civic organisation, NewsFirst reported. The complaint alleges that the test kits — used widely during the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath — were procured from a company that was not legally registered at the time of the transaction.
A letter addressed to Mahawatta and signed by Commission Secretary K.G. Lanerolle confirms that an inquiry into the alleged fraud has been initiated. CIABOC has not yet named individual officials or company representatives under investigation.
The case opens a new accountability thread distinct from the high-profile NDB Rs. 13.2 billion fraud, the Treasury USD 2.5 million cyber heist and the People’s Bank Rs. 656 million remittance exchange-rate error — each of which the Bribery Commission, the Central Bank and the police are pursuing on parallel tracks.
The Rs. 3.1 billion antigen-test procurement is among the larger health-sector cases CIABOC has taken up in recent months, alongside its inquiries into Health Ministry officials and pharmaceutical irregularities flagged during the post-pandemic audit cycle.
