Politics · Sri Lanka Bureau
Former Minister Fowzie apologizes for misuse of state vehicle
Ex-Minister A. H. M. Fowzie has issued a public apology for improperly using a state-owned SUV while in office, following a Supreme Court directive. The vehicle in question was donated by the Netherlands for disaster relief operations.
LSN Sri Lanka ·
Former Minister A. H. M. Fowzie published an apology in a government-controlled newspaper on Tuesday, acknowledging the misuse of a state vehicle during his tenure in office. The move came in compliance with a Supreme Court order addressing the case.
The vehicle at the centre of the controversy was a sport utility vehicle donated by the Dutch government specifically for disaster management operations. Court proceedings established that Fowzie had used the SUV for purposes outside its intended mandate, prompting the judicial intervention.
The publication of the apology represents compliance with the Supreme Court's directive, marking a formal acknowledgment of the wrongdoing by the former minister. Such court-mandated public apologies have become an increasingly common mechanism for addressing accountability in governance matters in Sri Lanka.
The case underscores ongoing scrutiny of how state resources, particularly those provided through international assistance, are utilized by government officials. The Supreme Court's intervention reflects judicial efforts to ensure proper stewardship of public assets and donor-funded resources.