The Cabinet has approved the appointment of a three-member committee headed by retired High Court Judge G.M.W. Pradeep Jayathilake to investigate the alleged misuse of funds from the Central Cultural Fund during the period when Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa served as the Minister of Culture.
The initial decision to appoint this committee was taken at the 223rd Governing Council meeting of the Central Cultural Fund held on 17 May 2025.
The proposal to appoint the committee was submitted by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. There have been strong accusations from society that Sajith Premadasa, during his tenure as Minister of Culture, utilised funds irrationally to provide donations to temples and other religious places in a manner aimed at building his own political image. Critics claim this mismanagement severely affected the Central Cultural Fund, which was established to protect the country’s cultural heritage and promote the cultural tourism industry.
