Misuse and abuse of public funds beyond presidency

ARREST and detention of former president Ranil Wickremesinghe last Friday (22 August), under the “Offences Against Public Property Act No. 12 of 1982” reported as the first such arrest of a former Head of State in Sri Lanka, brings about an issue that had not been paid attention to, though frequent allegations are made on “abuse of public property”.

- By Kusal Perera

As raised by Moratuwa Municipal Council member, Attorney at Law Lihini Fernando, how public life in high office and the individual's private life could be recognised and differentiated for the benefit of the office held and the individual’s freedom has never been looked into by any. For the presidency, it is by all means a daunting and a challenging task.

Attorney Fernando providing a short explanation posted in her “X” account on the following day 23 August says, “A President of a country cannot separate his private life from public life. The moment one assumes the office of Head of State, he ceases to be a private individual”. And then Fernando rightly assumes, “...in practice, there is no clear distinction between public and private life for a sitting President”.

Not bothered about presidential visits