The Joint Opposition Alliance has lodged a complaint with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), seeking a formal probe into alleged corruption and irregularities in diesel imports by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC).

In a letter to the Bribery Commission, opposition representatives asked CIABOC to determine whether the government suffered a significant financial loss as a result of the disputed transactions. They urged the Commission to question relevant officials, examine procurement documentation, and consider legal action against those found responsible for fraud or malpractice.

The complaint argues that alleged irregularities in fuel procurement have placed a heavy burden on state finances at a time when the country is paying elevated Hormuz-related premiums on every shipment. Ada Derana confirmed the filing under the headline “Complaint lodged with Bribery Comm. over alleged diesel import irregularities.”

A fuller version of the complaint published by Daily FT on May 1 names the supplier and quantifies the alleged escalation. The original CPC tender for five oil tankers was awarded to commodities trader Trafigura at a $4-per-barrel premium, but the company delivered only two of the five contracted shipments, citing the Gulf war as justification. The Joint Opposition asks whether CPC sought to recover the loss or blacklist the supplier for non-performance.

On 17–18 March, the Daily FT report continues, Trafigura was re-engaged through what the complaint describes as unsolicited procurement to supply 248,000 barrels of diesel at a premium of $45 per barrel — more than ten times the original rate. A competing supplier identified as Terrington had offered to supply diesel at $38 per barrel but was not selected. The complaint also links the surge in diesel demand to acknowledged failures in coal supply that pushed power generation onto liquid fuel.

The CIABOC complaint represents a formal escalation beyond parliamentary questioning, opening a third accountability track on CPC procurement alongside the Joint Opposition’s earlier coal-tender allegations at the Presidential Coal Commission and the COPF investigations led by Dr. Harsha de Silva.

Diesel pricing has been the most contested element of CPC procurement during the Hormuz crisis. CPC Chairman D.J. Rajakaruna initially denied a $286-per-barrel diesel premium before confirming the figure a day later, exposing a gap between corporate communications and parliamentary disclosures.

Sources