The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption today arrested former Cooperative and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando and Hemantha Lalith de Silva, owner of Design Point (Pvt.) Ltd., on charges of corruption and aiding and abetting.
The Bribery Commission alleges that during the purchase of chairs for the Rajapaksa Hall at Polgolla, procurement rules were bypassed.
Instead of awarding the contract to the institution that submitted the lowest qualified bid, arrangements were made to purchase from Design Point (Pvt.) Ltd.
This decision is said to have caused a financial loss of Rs. 7,973,114.50 to the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau, while granting undue benefit to an outside party.
Both suspects were taken into custody at 9.30 am and are scheduled to be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court. (Newswire)
