(UTV | COLOMBO) – UNP MP and cinema star Ranjan Ramanayake told Parliament yesterday that he had recorded and videotaped various conversations with persons of interest to collect evidence in his “lone fight against corruption, a mission that the Yahapalana government failed to fulfill”.
In his much-awaited statement to Parliament after the media exposés of his phone recordings, Ramanayake told the House that he agrees with the proposition to appoint a Presidential Commission of Inquiry to investigate into these controversial call recording tapes. Ramanayake said that he is ready to appear before this Commission to provide evidence along with all the evidence he has collected so far.
Ramanayake gave his statement to the House after he was brought to Parliament from remand, as permitted by the Parliament Privileges Act.
Ramanayake pointed out that he has a number of call recordings with high profile politicos in the previous and present governments. He said that he has no call recordings of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. “I have call recordings belonging to many high ranking politicians. But, I need to be truthful. I don’t have a single call recording that belongs to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.”
Tabling all the recorded, videotaped and other evidence in his possession, Ramanayake announced that the evidence was also available safely locked away overseas. Ramanayake apologised to all those whose personal lives were affected when some of the recordings appeared in social media. Ramanayake insisted that he had never leaked the call recordings to social media. Ramanayake also said that he does not need “any character certificate measuring how cultured he is or not” from people concerning the methods he used to collect evidence about corruption and drug dealing. “I do not believe that we should be concerned about ethics when dealing with thieves and drug dealers who surely have no ethics or morals themselves.” Ramanayake said.
“I don’t mind that my life is on the line due to this matter. I am ready to go to prison if necessary. I will continue my fight against corruption. I kept recorded evidence with me because most of the time people have asked me to prove the points I make regarding corruption. They request evidence and accuse me of just levelling allegations. Here is all the evidence that you need.The Yahapalana government came to fight corruption, but then it was overtaken by thieves. I also have call recordings pertaining to the Treasury bond scam. I have call recordings of Arjun Aloysisus calling me to offer money to conceal the details pertaining to the scam. My uncle, Vijaya Kumaratunga was killed for speaking against this corrupt system. My uncle Carlo Fonseka was the only physician who gave back his payments to the government saying he is paid too much. I come from a family like that. I am the only MP who does not take most of the allowances we receive as MPs.”
During the speech, Ramanayake referred to MP Kanchana Wijesekara as one of his “spies” used to reveal certain information concerning the Treasury bond scam. Wijesekara, at the end of Ramanayake’s speech pointed out that he in fact was not a spy of Ramanayake.
“It was we who found this information about the bond scam. Ranjan Ramanayake called me to ask as to how we found them. I was not a spy or disciple of Ranjan Ramanayake,” State Minister Wijesekara said.
In reply, Ranjan Ramanayake said that Wijesekara was not his ‘spy’ but his ‘very good friend’.