October 12, Colombo (LNW): Former minister and sitting Member of Parliament Chamara Sampath Dassanayake has been taken into custody by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) in connection with an investigation into an alleged bribery scheme involving phosphate exports.
The MP was arrested after appearing before the commission to give a statement as part of its ongoing inquiry. Investigators are examining allegations that he sought a payment of Rs. 8.1 million from three selected companies in return for helping them export phosphate without complying with the required procedures and securing the necessary export permits.
Sumathipala Liyanarachchi, who previously served as Dassanayake’s private secretary while he held the post of State Minister of Primary Industries, has also been arrested in connection with the same investigation.
The case centres on claims that official processes may have been bypassed in exchange for financial benefits. The commission’s investigation is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged arrangement and the roles, if any, played by those involved.
