Recover stolen assets from those responsible to pay back loans, restore economy: CBK

21 November 2023 07:44 am Views - 2568

COLOMBO (Daily Mirror)- Immediate steps must be taken to recover “stolen assets” to pay back loans and restore the economy based on the recent Supreme Court verdict on the economic crisis in the country without further burdening the people by taxing them, former president Chandrika Kumaratunge said.

In a video posted on social media, she said the Supreme Court verdict on who was responsible for bankrupting the economy in Sri Lanka was a rare and a great ruling. She said the Supreme Court had not sentenced the parties named in the verdict as the petitioners had not sought a penalty for the accused in the petition.

Ms. Kumaratunge said people can go to court and seek punishment and compensation from those who were held responsible by the Supreme Court.

“Citizens who lost employment, got cut down on their salaries and parents of the 2 million children who had to go hungry due to the economic crisis can seek redress,” she said.
The former president said money allegedly amassed in offshore accounts and companies or invested in lands, hotels and residences in Sri Lanka can also be traced through police investigations and used to pay compensations to aggrieved parties.

“The World Bank has a separate unit which provides assistance to recover stolen assets. In the Philippines assets were recovered and brought back to their country,” she said.