Colombo Court Assistant Remanded Over Rs. 750,000 Bribe for Ex-Minister's Sentence

A court assistant serving at the Colombo High Court was arrested and subsequently remanded until September 22. He is accused of accepting a Rs. 750,000 bribe from the wife of former deputy minister Sarana Gunawardena. The alleged purpose of the bribe was to secure a reduced or suspended sentence for Gunawardena in an ongoing bribery case. The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) made the arrest following a complaint filed by a Colombo High Court judge. The Colombo Chief Magistrate ordered the remand after reviewing the facts presented by CIABOC.