MEPA tells CID to probe reports of fraud in X-Press Pearl litigation

The Maritime Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA) has lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department to investigate   the information published by various parties and the media regarding a financial fraud that is alleged to have taken place during the implementation of the compensation scheme related to the environmental damage caused by the X-Press Pearl ship which sank in 2021 in Sri Lankan waters.

The complaint was submitted yesterday morning (18) and Marine Environment Protection Authority Chairman Asela Rekawa said the Justice Minister had also submitted a complaint to the Inspector General regarding the information he had received regarding the issue. Rekawa said that if anyone has had any influence in delaying the proceedings related to the issue regarding the ship, it is a great betrayal of this country.

“If anyone has done such a thing, we have made a complaint to the Criminal Investigation Department to take immediate action in this regard, he said.

“We discussed this case with the Attorney General. We will provide them with the full support we can provide in connection with the conducting of the case. We are waiting for that case to be filed. According to the provisions of the Act, this is done by the Attorney General. The relevant insurance company has stopped certain temporary payments related to the damage caused by the shipwreck. We are taking full action on them. We also met Foreign Minister Ali Sabry. He agreed to bring all embassies and related institutions and inform them about this,” he added.