Aug 02, Colombo: Member of Parliament Nimal Siripala de Silva was sworn in as the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation before President Ranil Wickramasinghe at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon (02).

Nimal Siripala de Silva, who held the ministerial post previously, stepped down on 06 July 2022 to allow an impartial investigation to be conducted regarding reports published in electronic and print media, including social media networks, that he had demanded a bribe from Japan's Taisei Corporation.

Accordingly, on the request of the Minister, President Ranil Wickremesinghe on 22 July 2022 appointed a three-member committee chaired by the retired High Court Judge, President's Counsel Mrs. Kusala Sarojani Weerawardena. The final report of the Committee was handed over to the Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake on 31 July.

The report was tabled at the Cabinet of Ministers meeting yesterday.

According to the Committee’s report, Mr. Nimal Siripala de Silva has been acquitted of all charges.