July 08, Colombo (LNW): A group of four individuals, including a former senior official from the Department of Motor Traffic, has been released on bail following their arrest over alleged involvement in the unlawful registration of a motor vehicle.
Amongst those granted bail is Nishantha Anuruddha Weerasinghe, the former Commissioner General of Motor Traffic. The arrests were made by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), which suspects that the individuals played a role in facilitating the allocation of a number plate for a vehicle that had not undergone proper clearance through Sri Lanka Customs.
Appearing before Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali, counsel representing the Bribery Commission presented the grounds on which the suspects were taken into custody, whilst state prosecutors outlined the preliminary findings of the ongoing investigation.
After reviewing the representations, the Magistrate approved conditional bail for all four suspects. Three of the individuals were ordered to post two sureties amounting to Rs. 1 million each, whilst the fourth was released on a surety of Rs. 500,000.
As a further precaution, the court imposed a travel ban on the accused, directing that their passports be surrendered immediately. This move aims to ensure their continued availability as the inquiry progresses.
The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on November 14, by which time the Bribery Commission is expected to present additional findings.
