The former Deputy Chairman of Continental Insurance Lanka Limited, Chaminda de Silva, was arrested by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC). According to the Bribery Commission, de Silva was arrested on charges of allegedly facilitating a bribe of Rs. 6,415,050 to D.H.L.W. Jayamanna, a former official of the Government Analyst’s Department who was previously arrested on bribery charges.
CIABOC said that the payment resulted in an undue advantage for the private insurance company and that de Silva supported and enabled the offense.
The suspect to be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.
The Colombo Magistrate’s Court on Friday last ordered the release on bail of the Chief Executive Officer of a private insurance company who was arrested in connection with an alleged bribery payment to a former Additional Government Analyst.
The CEO of Continental Insurance, Gerry Gunadasa had been arrested and produced before court by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).
Presenting facts to court, Bribery Commission officials said information had been uncovered indicating that the suspect had approved payments made to the former Additional Government Analyst, who is currently in remand custody, to facilitate the alleged bribery.
The Commission further alleged that Continental Insurance Lanka Limited had facilitated a payment of Rs. 6,415,050 to D.H.L.W. Jayamanna, a former official of the Government Analyst’s Department.
The Commission said the suspect was arrested on charges of aiding and abetting corruption and offering gratification to a public servant, and requested that he be remanded, stating that investigations were still ongoing.
Appearing on behalf of the insurance company, President’s Counsel Ali Sabry told court that neither the suspect nor the company had engaged in any act of bribery.
He submitted that the services of the former Additional Government Analyst had been obtained lawfully, noting that under the Establishments Code, officers of the Government Analyst’s Department are legally permitted to provide private services.
Following consideration of submissions, the Magistrate ordered the suspect to be released on two personal bail bonds of Rs. 5 million each, imposed a foreign travel ban, and warned against influencing witnesses. The case was fixed for December 22.
THE REGULATORY BODY
We spoke to the regulatory body, the Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (IRCSL) to ask exactly what they have done in light of the seriousness of the situation. The Director General told us that the IRCSL had already been in touch with the insurance company. We specifically wanted to know if they had been proactive in their approach as we pointed out that the matter is serious enough to affect policyholders as well as reputational damage to the entire insurance industry in Sri Lanka. We were assured that the IRCSL had indeed been proactive
WHAT ARE THE ALLEGATIONS:
At the time that a former Government Analyst was charged and remanded in connection with bribes of over Rs 6.4 million the connection to Continental Insurance Company Lanka Limited (CICLL) was made. Subsequently two officers of the company were produced before Magistrates. Chaminda De Silva who was a co-founder of the Company along with the late DHS “Harry” Jayawardena, was remanded and his next hearing date is set to be 22nd Dec 2025.
The allegations made by an activist Group spearheading the complaints, is that these Analyst reports were compromised and that at the time Government Analyst D.H.L.W. Jayamanna apparently received in excess of Rs 6.4 million for which he was charged and then remanded.
The further allegation is a question which will be up to the CID to establish. Did the Continental Insurance Company rely on these compromised Analysts reports to deny an otherwise legitimate claim?
If they did it would be incumbent upon the insurance company – CILL – to pay the once denied claims to policy holders.
We urge you to follow through with your denied claim if you feel there is any merit, by contacting the IRCSL at the following details.
If you wish to get in touch with us to share your story please WhatsApp 0772-300305 during office hours.
To keep following this story it will be available on @ceylonindependent on YouTube. Subscribe to the channel and you will automatically receive updates.
CONTACTING THE IRCSL TO LODGE A COMPLAINT:
You can contact the Investigation division of the IRCSL, through the following:
• 1) Call +94 11 2335167 and follow up your complaint in writing; or
• 2) Send an e-mail to info@ircsl.gov.lk, investigation@ircsl.gov.lk; or
• 3) Make use of Complaint Submission Form in the IRCSL website or
• 4) Submit your complaint by post to;
Director – Investigation,
Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka, Level 11, East Tower,
World Trade Centre, Echelon Square,
Colombo 1.
Insurance Ombudsman
Office of Insurance Ombudsman
No 143A,
Vajira Road, Colombo 5.
Telephone – +94 11 250 5542 / +94 11 250 5041 Email – info@insuranceombudsman.lk
Website – https://insuranceombudsman.lk
ආශාංශන ෙකාමිසම (IRCSL) ෙවත පැමිණිලි කිරීමට:
– +94 11 2335167 කතා කර ලිඛිතව දන්වන්න
– info@ircsl.gov.lk, investigation@ircsl.gov.lk ෙවත ඉෙලක්ෙරානික පණිවුඩ යවන්න
– IRCSL ෙවබ් අඩවිෙ පැමිණිලි ඉපැයුම් ෙපරමය භාවිතා කරන්න
– පහත අංශයට ලිපියක් යවන්න: අධ්යක්ෂක – විමර්ශන, ආශාංශන නියාමන ෙකාමිසම, 11වන මහල, නැෙගනහිර කුණ්ඩශිඛාව, වර්ල්ඩ් ෙර්ඩ් ෙසන්ටර්, ෙකාළඹ 1.
# ආශාංශන අම්බුඩ්ස්මාන් කාර්යාලය
– ලිපිනය: අං 143A, වජිර මාවත, ෙකාළඹ 5 –දුර:+94112505542/+94112505041
– ඉෙලක්ෙරානික තැපෑල: info@(link unavailable) – ෙවබ් අඩවිය: (link unavailable)
(ෙස්වය ෙනාමිෙල්, පමණක් අත්සන ෙයදූ ලිපියක් අවශ්යයි)
ஐஐஆசஎல்-க்கு புகார் அளித்தல்:
– +94 11 2335167 என்ற இலக்கத்தல் அைழத்து எழுத்து மூலம் ெதரிவக்கவும்
– info@ircsl.gov.lk, investigation@ircsl.gov.lk என்ற மின்னஞ்சலுக்கு அனுப்பவும்
– ஐஆசஎல் இைணயதளத்தல் புகார் சமர்ப்பப்பு படிவத்ைதப் பயன்படுத்தவும்
– இவ்வடத்துக்கு கடிதம் அனுப்பவும்: இயக்குனர் – வசாரைண, ஆஐஆசஎல், 11வது தளம், கழக்குக் ேகாபுரம், உலக வணிக மத்தய நைலயம், ெகாழும்பு 1.
# காப்பீட்டு நடுவர் அலுவலகம்
– முகவரி: அந் 143A, வஜிர வீத, ெகாழும்பு 5 – ெதாைல: +94 11 250 5542 / +94 11 250 5041
– மின்னஞ்சல்: info@(link unavailable)
– இைணயதளம்: (link unavailable)
(இலவச ேசைவ, ைகெயாப்பமிடப்பட்ட கடிதம் மட்டும் ேதைவ)
Leave a Reply