New amendments not to punish whistleblowers who expose the truth about bribery and corruption by officials.

According to the new amendments to be presented to the Bribery or Corruption Investigation Commission Act, the Director General of the Commission will have the power to refrain from prosecuting or filing charges against an abettor facing bribery charges, if they fully and truthfully disclose all facts known to them regarding the incident.

This gazette notification of amendments to the Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 of 2023 has been published on the order of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and it includes changes related to the legal effect of certain clauses.

Among the proposed main clauses, Section 67 of the Act is to be amended, which will enable the Director General to withdraw cases filed before Magistrate's Courts.

Another amendment proposes to recover the value of any property acquired through corruption or converted into another form, and to declare any grant, appointment, benefit, or advantage obtained by a person through a corrupt act as illegal from the date of conviction.

Additionally, this new amendment provides an opportunity to temporarily or permanently appoint officers and employees of the provincial public service or the police force to positions within the Commission.