Minister of Justice, Prisons Affairs, and Constitutional Reform, Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, said that the newly proposed bill will enable the government to confiscate any property even without it being proven beyond a reasonable doubt in court. The Minister revealed that the government has decided to urgently enforce these laws and regulations to confiscate properties in Sri Lanka and overseas acquired through illegal channels.
Sources close to the Justice Ministry revealed that the process of finalizing these laws has been delayed due to negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the debt restructuring process to overcome the existing economic collapse. However, the Minister has instructed officials to speed up the process despite the challenges arising from IMF negotiations.
Earlier, the government had promised to enforce the proposed bill by April. However, the bill has not been finalized so far, and as a result, the Minister has instructed officials to take the necessary steps to expedite the process.
Responding to an inquiry about the proposed bill, Minister Rajapakshe noted that the new bill provides legal authority to confiscate property even without it being proven beyond a reasonable doubt in court. He also revealed that the draft bill consists of 182 pages. The draft was prepared by a committee appointed for the new proposed bill. The Minister also noted that the committee will reach out to the United Nations with the expectation of reacquiring the properties and wealth looted from Sri Lanka.
“Currently, there is no system to calculate illegally acquired properties and wealth. No one complains about it because there is no appropriate law, and as a result, the authorities have no legal power to investigate such matters. However, the new bill empowers government agencies and people to get information about this bill. The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the bill, and it was sent to legal draftsmen. It will be submitted next month for the approval of the Attorney General. After that, there is no need for a local investigation story. If information is received, a trial can be conducted by the court,” he added.
