ECONOMYNEXT – Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL), the island nation’s corruption watchdog, has urged stronger safeguards and judicial oversight to implement the newly enacted Proceeds of Crimes Act (POCA) successfully.
The POCA was passed in the parliament early this week unanimously.
“TISL also draws attention to several concerns that must be addressed to ensure the Act’s successful implementation,” the TISL said in a statement.
“Stronger safeguards and judicial oversight are necessary within investigation processes to prevent the misuse of powers and uphold due process.”
It also said the Proceeds of Crime Management Authority (PCMA) must function with the highest standards of transparency, and board members should be adequately and fairly compensated to attract qualified professionals and reduce corruption risks.
“Likewise, the Victims of Crime Reparations Trust Fund must be governed with clear selection criteria, term limits, disqualification processes, and strong conflict-of-interest safeguards to maintain public trust.”
“In addition to implementation issues, TISL remains concerned about broader challenges in Sri Lanka’s legislative process,” it said.
“The development of this law highlighted continued translation errors from English to Sinhala, which risk undermining its intent and application—particularly since the Sinhala version has legal precedence.”
“These issues reinforce the need for institutionalised mechanisms for public and expert participation from the earliest stages of lawmaking, to ensure clarity, coherence, and alignment with the public interest and international standards.”
“Looking ahead, TISL urges the government and implementing institutions to ensure that the Proceeds of Crime Act is applied with integrity, fairness, and transparency. This includes the responsible and open management of recovered assets, robust public oversight, and ensuring that these powerful tools are used proportionately and in line with the law’s intended focus on grand corruption and serious crime.”
It said the ultimate goal must remain clear: “to ensure that corruption and crime do not pay—and that stolen wealth is returned to its rightful owners, whether individuals or the public at large.” (Colombo/April 10/2025)
