Bribery Commission arrests retired Health Ministry official and businessman

A retired Chief Clerk of the Ministry of Health has been arrested by the Bribery Commission on charges of accepting a bribe exceeding Rs. 20 million.

It is reported that the suspect was arrested by officers of the Bribery Commission at the cafeteria of the Ministry of Health.

According to reports, in 2018, after a building from a private institution was obtained on a rent for the Ministry of Health, the suspect had allegedly demanded this bribe in order to ensure that rent payments made by the ministry through cheques were issued without delay.

After being produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court, the arrested suspect has been remanded until the 17th.

Meanwhile, a businessman from the Colombo 12 area has also been arrested by the Bribery Commission on charges of accepting a bribe of Rs. 5 million.

It is reported that the businessman accepted the bribe in order to provide assistance in obtaining bail for a suspect who had been arrested and remanded by the Illegal Assets or Property Investigation Division, and also to help prevent the arrest of the suspect’s family members.

After being produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court, the suspect has been remanded until the 13th.