Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today appeared before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCOI) probing bribery and corruption during the period between 2015 and 2018.

Wickremesinghe was requested to make an appearance before the commission to give a statement on the controversial lease agreement of the Agriculture Ministry building in Rajagiriya. According to the agreement, the government paid an exorbitant monthly rent of Rs. 21 million for the ministry building owned by actress Sabeetha Perera.

This was the second time the Prime Minister appeared before a Presidential Commission probing corruption allegations relating to his own government.

The Prime Minister was asked to give a statement on the basis that Cabinet paper pertaining to the lease agreement was presented by Wickremesinghe in 2015.

Former Agriculture Minister Duminda Dissanayake had told the Presidential Commission that he was unaware of the lease agreement as the Prime Minister presented the Cabinet paper.

Saman Ekanayake, Secretary to the Prime Minister, was also summoned by the Presidential Commission over the same matter.