Former Director General of the Land Reforms Commission, Liyanage Padmasiri, has formally apologized to Chamindrani Kiriella of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) over a false statement linking her to the alleged illegal acquisition of 43 acres of government land in Hanthana.
Padmasiri expressed regret before the Parliamentary Committee on Ethics and Privileges, admitting that remarks he made before the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) on July 17 last year were incorrect. He also conveyed his apology directly to MP Kiriella.
The Ethics and Privileges Committee has since informed COPE of the matter. COPE acknowledged that the uncorrected statement, which had been publicly broadcast, caused reputational damage to the MP. The committee has been instructed to correct the official record and report the amendment to Parliament.
Kiriella had raised the issue in Parliament on July 22, 2025, stating that the false allegation had insulted her and breached her parliamentary privileges. Her complaint was later taken up by the Ethics and Privileges Committee on January 9, 2026, during which Padmasiri issued his apology.
