Sri Lanka seeks foreign assistance to trace stolen assets: President

May 13, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government is currently in the process of seeking information and assistance from foreign countries to trace stolen assets, President Maithripala Sirisena said addressing the Anti-Corruption Summit in London. President Sirisena appreciated the support and cooperation extended to Sri Lanka by several countries including UK, USA, India and Switzerland as well as the World Bank to strengthen the investigative agencies regarding the stolen assets. “A special division within the police titled Financial Crimes Investigation Division was established to expedite investigations on major financial crimes,” President Maithripala Sirisena said. “They have already commenced flings of several major financial charges.

We are in the process of seeking information and assistance to trace them.” Addressing the opening day of the summit, President also highlighted that corruption is one of the factors that promote political violence and other forms of human rights abuses. “Sri Lanka went through such a stage during the previous administration,” he said. “The people acting democratically got rid of the corrupt leaders and their supporters.

We consider our prime duty to root out of corruption from the country.

” President further said Sri Lanka is happy that summit proposes to establish an International Anti- Corruption Centre as all leaders need to act collectively to strengthen law enforcement agencies to track the corrupt and recover the proceeds of corruption.