Out of the seven companies which submitted Expression of Interest over the proposed Hambantota Refinery, one company has been registered under an address in a slum in Nigeria, National People’s Power Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said.

He said the company that had come forward to set up a refinery is registered in a slum in Nigeria. “This is the black money drawn out of the country coming back under false names,” he said.“The United Nations passes various protocols and ordinances on corruption and fraud. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) also keep an eye on incidents of fraud,” he said.

He said that those who hide stolen wealth abroad need to bring it back and that’s why they need a company registered somewhere.

“There is a company model in the world. According to that model, you don’t have to reveal the owner of the company. State institutions are bought with the stolen dollars after registering fake companies,” Mr. Dissanayake said.

He said the same rulers who sold state institutions saying that the government cannot afford to engage in business, have today launched a sinister project to buy these institutions with their black money.He pointed out that so far many privatized institutions, including the tea plantations in the country, have not become profitable.