Top government officials arrested for bribery remanded until May 22

Two top Sri Lankan government officials arrested last week for accepting a bribe of Rs.20 million from an Indian businessman have been remanded until May 22nd by the Colombo Chief Magistrate.

When the case was called before Colombo Additional Magistrate Buddhika Sri Ragala today, the Magistrate ordered to re-remand the Chief of Presidential Staff, IHK Mahanama and former Chairman of State Timber Corporation Piyasena Dissanayake.

The Magistrate also ordered the Bribery Commission to expeditiously complete the investigation into the case against the suspects.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption arrested the two top government officials while accepting a bribe of Rs 20 million.

The attorney appearing on behalf of the Bribery Commission informed the Court that an individual named Joseph who claimed to be a member of the intelligence wing of the LTTE had come to the office of the plaintiff KP Nagarajah, an Indian national, and inquired about the case.

The attorney of the Bribery Commission stated that this could be an effort to influence the investigations and the plaintiff had complained to the Cinnamon Garden police as well as to the Bribery Commission.