The Free Lawyers Association says Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chairman Dr. Harsha de Silva has the authority to invoke parliamentary mechanisms against Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma if he continues to refuse to appear before the committee, Ada Derana reported on Thursday.
The warning lands a day after Suriyapperuma wrote to COPF informing it he was unable to attend the scheduled Thursday session on the USD 2.5 million Treasury cyber theft, citing a planned presidential statement in Parliament that the government wants to deliver before officials testify. The Treasury Secretary asked for a date after May 5.
The Free Lawyers — who have been among the most vocal civil-society critics of the heist response — say compelling attendance is not optional and that procedural avenues exist to enforce a summons. The association has separately demanded the secretary’s resignation and last week submitted 22 questions to the President over the loss.
Dr. de Silva told the committee on Tuesday that “Parliament has the full authority over public finance” and there was “no reason for the officials not to appear before the committee.” Members unanimously agreed to summon the secretary alongside senior Finance Ministry officials and the Central Bank Governor.
It is not yet clear whether the COPF will accept the secretary’s proposed post-May 5 window, refer the matter to the Speaker, or move toward formal contempt proceedings. The case sits inside a wider accountability cycle that includes travel bans on five interdicted officials, an Opposition call for a Parliamentary Select Committee, and an active CID investigation.
Source: Ada Derana.
