COPE briefed on how Hizbullah used Batticaloa Campus accounts

The former Governor M. L. A. M. Hizbullah, who appears as the owner of the Batticaloa Campus and the HIRA Foundation, had allegedly pressurized Bank of Ceylon to open accounts at his discretion.

This was revealed at the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) when it convened yesterday (17).

Reportedly, former Governor Hizbullah and his son Hiraz Hizbullah had not appeared before the Committee yesterday although they were requested to testify before the Committee.

However, officials representing the Bank of Ceylon (BOC), Higher Education Ministry and Finance Ministry appeared before the Committee to record statements on the bank accounts of the Batticaloa Campus and the HIRA Foundation.

The COPE Committee Chairman MP Sunil Handunnetti inquired on the bank accounts maintained under different names and the BOC General Manager K. B. S. Bandara and the BOC Senior Legal Officer Dayanjani Peiris responded to the queries.

COPE member Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe had interrogated them as well.