Lance Corporal arrested on bribery charges

A Lance Corporal serving at the Pandulagama Army Camp in Anuradhapura has been arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption on charges of soliciting and accepting a bribe of Rs. 129,600.

According to an investigation conducted following a complaint received by the Bribery Commission, it was revealed that the suspect had solicited the bribe by claiming he could help a retired army officer settle his pension loan.

After obtaining the complainant’s loan details, the suspect had stated that he could arrange financial assistance of Rs. 2.5 million.

He had then requested payments to be made prior to receiving this assistance and on three occasions had Rs. 129,600 deposited into a bank account as bribes.

Subsequently, investigations revealed that he had also demanded an additional Rs. 13,457 as a “document fee” bribe.

Following the arrest, the officer was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court, the Bribery Commission.

Accordingly, he has been remanded until May 8.