November 07, Colombo (LNW):In a landmark ruling, the High Court sentenced four former officials of Sri Lanka Customs to 35 years in prison with hard labor following their conviction on bribery and conspiracy charges. The case, dating back to 2015, involved the solicitation of a Rs. 150 million bribe and the acceptance of Rs. 125 million to expedite the release of container trucks carrying vehicle spare parts for the Ceylon Transport Board (CTB).
The court additionally imposed a Rs. 125 million fine on the defendants, equal to the amount received as a bribe. According to Section 26 of the Bribery Act, failure to pay the fine will result in an additional two-year prison term for each official. This ruling underscores the judiciary’s stance on corruption and aims to reinforce accountability within public service.
