Indictments against four Customs officers for accepting Rs.125 million bribe
The Colombo High Court today(15) filed indictments against four ex-senior customs officials allegedly involved in accepting a bribe of Rs.125 million; the largest ever recorded bribe nabbed by the Bribery Commission.
The indictments filed by the Commission to Investigate into Allegations of Bribery or Corruption were handed over by High Court Judge R.Gurusinghe today, Ada Derana Court correspondent reported.
The suspects were released on two sureties of Rs. 100,000 and two personal bails of Rs. 2 million each by the HC judge.
The suspects were also prohibited travelling overseas without notifying the Courts.
The case will be taken up for hearing on January 17.
The four ex-senior customs were arrested over charges of allegedly involving in accepting a bribe of Rs.125 million to release a consignment of spare parts worth Rs.1500 million, , by evading duty from a Businessman in Panchikawatte on 2015 June 26.
(Ada Derana)
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where there is money changing hands by the billions there are middle men to exploit the situation from the grass root lvele spiralling all the way to the top. Customs and excise probabaly the best place to make money and as long as there are excise laws that forbid distilllation of arak or cultivation of Marijunana. The trade in oot and kasippu runs into millions of rupees. The courts run a roaring trade in prosecuting those involved. The law does not act as a deterrent for no sooner they are relaeased they continue to citivate pot or distll LCOHOL. This is a unversal problem not confined to srilanka.
Back in the 80’s i used to visit the UN library for want of something to do. There i ran toreport that claimed Sri Lanka was a major hub that operated a drug operation. The same is true for our ports are porus and the customs official corrupt. The only reason why they get caught is not becase of the effecience of the ufficers but because they did not get any kikbacks on the deals.
In this partcular case they have faile dto identify the custom officers clients as is always the case for they work in collusion with the mob that involves ministers.