The Colombo High Court today convicted four senior Customs officials to 35 years of rigorous imprisonment after they were found guilty of corruption charges.
The bribery case, over a bribe amounting to Rs 125 million was filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and considered as largest-ever bribe case in the country’s history.
The CIABOC filed charges against former Assistant Customs Superintendent Upali Gunaratne Perera, Customs Superintendent Wasantha Wimalaweera, Customs Superintendent Upali Senarath Wickremasinghe, and Customs Superintendent Sudeera Parakrama Jinadasa for allegedly soliciting a bribe of Rs.150 million.
The accused were charged with accepting Rs.125 million in order to release a consignment of spare parts worth Rs.1,500 million, imported for use by the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), by evading duty.
In addition to the 35-year prison term, each accused was ordered by
The High Court Judge Namal Balalle also ordered the accused to pay a fine of Rs.125 million in addition to 35 prison terms.
A protest was held in front of Attorney General’s Department Colombo today by a group of individuals calling for the Removal of the Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe .
Meteorology Department forecasted that showers will occur at times in Northern, North-central, Eastern and Northwestern provinces and in Matale and Nuwara-Eliya districts.
As the Sunday Times bids goodbye to our stalwart Consultant Editor/Defence Correspondent/Political Editor, we look back on an exceptional career of investigative reporting, war reporting, astute political commentary and mentoring a generation of journalists.
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