A ‘Divi Neguma’ development officer has been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo High Court for soliciting a sexual bribe from a 30-year-old mother of three in exchange for facilitating a government subsidy for her child’s kidney surgery.

Delivering the verdict, Colombo High Court Judge Aditya Patabendige stated that such conduct by a public official was "utterly unacceptable" and represented a grave betrayal of public trust. The judge, however, ordered that the 20-year sentence be served within 10 years.

The court further ruled that the defendant would lose his civil rights, including the right to vote, and also imposed a fine of Rs. 20,000.

The incident dates back to March 31, 2015, when the accused was apprehended by officers of the Bribery Commission. He had taken the woman to a hotel in the Tissamaharama area with the intent of soliciting sexual favors in return for financial aid from the government for her seven-year-old son’s kidney operation.

Following the arrest, the Bribery Commission filed indictments against the suspect in the Colombo High Court. After a lengthy trial, the judge ruled that the prosecution had proven the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

In delivering the sentence, Judge Patabendige underscored the seriousness of the offense, stating that a lenient punishment would be inappropriate given the circumstances and the abuse of power involved.