Sri Lanka, April 11 -- Outgoing Auditor General Chulantha Wickramaratne said state officials must also be held accountable for Sri Lanka's corruption, warning that continued failure to address systemic weaknesses would keep the country trapped in a cycle of misgovernance.

"While politicians are frequently held accountable for corruption, our investigations show that some State officials are also complicit," Wickramaratne told reporters in Colombo on Tuesday, at an event held to mark his retirement. "Politicians alone cannot sign off on cheques and vouchers - these actions are often carried out by officials within the system. If we don't address this issue now, the country will continue down the same path."

Wickramaratne, who officially ...