President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (01) said that legal proceedings against individuals accused of corruption and wrongdoing will unfold “case by case” in the coming months, with 10 cases scheduled to be taken up in court, during May, and a verdict ordered in one case to be delivered within the month.
Addressing the Nuwara Eliya District May Day rally, the President said an order was issued on 30 April for a judgment to be delivered in one of the ongoing cases, underscoring, what he described as, accelerated legal action, under the current administration.
He said the government was strengthening key investigative and legal institutions, including the Criminal Investigation Department and the Bribery Commission, to pursue corruption-related cases.
President Dissanayake said the NPP government was the “most trusted” administration in the country, claiming it had secured the confidence of citizens across all regions, including the Hill Country, North, East and South.
He said the government was taking decisions in the interest of the public, while reducing, what he described as, excessive privileges enjoyed by those in power under previous administrations.
“We are making decisions for the people and removing undue privileges of the ruling class,” he said, adding that earlier governments had worked to expand their own benefits while placing burdens on the public.
The President said the administration’s broader objective was to build a country ensuring stable incomes, quality education, adequate housing, the rule of law and national unity for working people.
He also warned that a significant number of individuals, accused of fraud and corruption, would face imprisonment in 2026, stressing that the law would be applied equally, regardless of political status or family background.
“We do not distinguish between former Presidents, Prime Ministers or their families. The law will apply equally to all,” he said.