Indictments were filed before the Colombo High Court today against Minister of Energy Kumara Jayakody.

The Court ordered his release on two sureties of Rs. 1 million each.

The charges stem from his tenure as Manager of the Production and Imports Division of Lanka Fertilizer Company in 2015. 

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption has accused him of unlawfully granting benefits to a private company during a procurement process for carpeting at the Hunupitiya warehouse complex.

Following a complaint and preliminary investigation, the Commission decided to file indictments, which were taken up in court today (27). (Newswire)

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A retired Brigadier of the Sri Lanka Army, serving as Project Director of the Urban Development Authority’s Colombo Urban Regeneration Project, was arrested by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption on charges of misallocation of housing units.

According to the Bribery Commission, 22 apartments at the “Sirisanda Sevana” housing complex, constructed under a Cabinet‑approved initiative to uplift the living standards of low‑income residents in Colombo, were allocated in 2014 to individuals who did not meet eligibility requirements. 

The allocations were made outside the common policy framework, despite approval by the Authority’s Board of Directors.

The suspect was taken into custody around 12:31 pm on Thursday (19) and later produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court, after which he was released on bail. (Newswire)

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A former Director General of the Mahaweli Authority was arrested on Tuesday (Dec. 9) by officials from the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.

The arrest relates to an incident involving compensation funds for damage caused to a building on Mahaweli Authority land during public unrest on May 9, 2022.

Investigators allege that Bandara, along with officials from the Mahaweli Authority’s Walawa Zone, misused compensation processes to benefit former minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa—then State Minister of Irrigation—and his associate named Manoj Waharalal Ekanayake.

A license was allegedly prepared under Ekanayake’s name to facilitate access to compensation for damage to the property, the Bribery Commission said in a statement.

The suspect, Keerthi Bandara, is accused of influencing officials to support this transaction and is being charged under Sections 111, 133, and 135 of the Bribery Act No. 9 of 2023, read with Section 5(1) of the Offenses Against Public Property Act No. 12 of 1992.

Bandara is to be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court. (Newswire)

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Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya says that within the past six months of this year, 63 individuals, including politicians, their relatives, and government officials, have been taken into custody based on bribery or corruption allegations.

She made the revelation in Parliament today (06 Aug), while responding to a question raised by an Opposition MP regarding bribery and corruption-related charges.

Speaking further, PM Amarasuriya said, “A total of 86 individuals were taken into custody on bribery charges in 2024. A total of 34 individuals have been arrested on bribery charges and 29 on corruption charges by 30 June 2025.”

She said that among them are seven politicians and former politicians who were arrested over corruption allegations. 

Regarding government officials and former officials, she said that a total of 58 were arrested for bribery in 2024, and 28 more were arrested for bribery and 14 for corruption, totalling 42 arrests by 30th June this year.

As for civilians, PM Amarasuriya said that 28 were arrested on bribery charges in 2024, while by mid-2025, six more were arrested for bribery and three for corruption, totalling 09 arrests. 

She added that as of June 2025, relatives of politicians account for five arrests based on corruption allegations. (Newswire)

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says Sri Lanka will soon become a country where no one will even think of taking bribes and the law will be enforced equally for all. 

The President said that even though people must fear engaging in corruption and soliciting bribes, currently, they believe they are above the law and continue to engage in such practices. 

“People must fear soliciting and taking bribes. People must fear the law. We will build a state where everyone is equal before the law. Several high-ranking officials, including the former IGP, former Navy commander, and several officials of state departments, such as Prisons, Motor Traffic Department, Immigration and Customs, have recently been arrested,” he said. 

The President further said a new team of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has been appointed to investigate various cases that were blocked by previous governments per regime changes.

“A financial fraud of Rs. 2.6 million results in a 20-year prison sentence per our laws. If we base our calculations on this, some people may face several lifetimes of imprisonment,” he added. 

The President made these remarks during an event to meet the Sri Lankan Community residing in the Maldives, held yesterday. (Newswire)

President says he will build a country where no one will even think of taking bribes — and hints that some individuals will face punishments lasting “several lifetimes.” pic.twitter.com/HgQmcgirOk

— NewsWire (@NewsWireLK) July 31, 2025

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The Assistant Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), Thanuja Bandara, says that in order to build a good public service free from bribery and corruption, every public official should always do the right thing in line with their conscience.

She made the remarks on Monday, addressing an awareness program held in Parliament to inform the staff of the Secretary General of Parliament on the responsibilities and expected goals of the Internal Affairs Unit, established under the 2025–2029 Anti-Corruption Action Plan.

In line with the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan 2025–2029, recently introduced under the leadership of the President, the Presidential Secretary issued a circular calling for the establishment of “Internal Affairs Units” within state institutions, and accordingly, this unit was established.

While explaining the provisions of the Anti-Corruption Act that pertain to bribery and corruption, Thanuja Bandara pointed out that the Bribery Commission has the authority to take legal action regarding various issues such as corruption, bribery, illicit enrichment, and conflicts of interest.

The Head of the newly established Internal Affairs Unit in Parliament is the Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of Parliament, Chaminda Kularatne, while the Chief Internal Auditor serves as the Integrity Officer, Dinesh Withana.

In his address, Commissioner of the Right to Information Commission of Sri Lanka, Jagath Liyanarachchi, stated that minimizing corruption in the public service can help Sri Lanka progress toward development similar to other developed countries. 

He emphasized that through the Internal Affairs Unit, a major role can be played in building an efficient, corruption-free public service by ensuring the integrity of public officials. He further said that merely having the relevant laws and procedures in place is not enough for this process to work properly; there is a collective responsibility to ensure the effective functioning of the system.

Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of Parliament, who also heads the Internal Affairs Unit, Chaminda Kularatne, said that everyone must work together through this unit to create a more transparent Parliament. (Newswire)

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Badulla District MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake has been remanded in connection with another case filed by the Bribery Commission on corruption allegations.

The Badulla Magistrate’s Court today remanded MP Chamara Sampath Dissanayake until 21 April 2025 over the incident of allegedly misappropriating Rs. 01 million from the Provincial Council fixed deposit with a state bank. 

The MP has been remanded while being in remand custody over the allegation of allegedly causing a loss of Rs. 23 million to the government by withdrawing fixed deposits held in a state bank. 

MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake was arrested by the Bribery Commission, after recording a statement on 27 March, on 03 corruption charges linked to his previous tenure as a State Minister.

After being produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court, the MP was released from two charges and remanded on one corruption charge. 

However, the Badulla Magistrate’s Court today remanded him over a second corruption charge. (Newswire)

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An individual who was interdicted over financial crimes during his tenure at the  State Fertilizer Company is currently serving as a Cabinet Minister under the new government, opposition MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam said. 

Addressing the Parliament today, MP Shanakiyan said the individual is now seated in the front row of the Parliament, adding he does not like to name the person. 

He further said that the individual had been accused of financial crimes at the State Fertilizer Company during President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s previous tenure as the Minister of Agriculture.

MP Shanakiyan went on to say that it was normal for the opposition to be concerned and suspicious if corruption was continuing when such individuals have been given important roles in the government and are seated in Parliament.

He made the remarks while addressing the government’s decision regarding renewable energy projects and the issues surrounding the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB). (Newswire)

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Former Minister Piyankara Jayaratne has been indicted before the Colombo High Court on charges of corruption, during his tenure as Minister of Civil Aviation.

Piyankara Jayaratne is accused of allegedly coercing officials to deposit Rs.494,000 into a bank account in Chillaw during his ministerial tenure. 

In January this year, the Bribery Commission filed a case against the former minister for misleading the officers of the Civil Aviation Authority into transferring Rs. 494,000 to a Chilaw National Savings Bank account, incurring a loss to the government.

The Bribery Commission had filed a total of three cases against former Minister of Civil Aviation Piyankara Jayaratne over corruption allegations. 

Issuing a notice, the Bribery Commission announced a case was also filed on a loss of Rs. 128,520 incurred by the Sri Lanka Civil Aviation Authority due to the printing of 3,000 Vesak greeting cards.

Another case was filed over the officers of the Civil Aviation Authority being misled into making a payment of Rs. 360,000 to a private organization, incurring a loss to the state. (Newswire)

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Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader MP Mano Ganesan has proposed the establishment of special courts to hear corruption cases on a daily basis.

Welcoming President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s efforts at anti-corruption, MP Ganesan said the Police, Bribery Commission, Attorney General and Judiciary are institutions that the people place their trust in, in a republican democracy. 

“It’s good news that President #AnuraKumara_Dissanayake @anuradisanayake has stated that the Bribery Commission will reopen files of national importance and file cases at the end of this month and in February. 

“The backlog should be cleared by granting more resources to the Bribery Commission (including strengthening its legal powers), the Attorney General’s Department and the CID within the Police Department should also be granted more resources to fulfil the anti-corruption drive,” he pointed out.

In a message on ‘X’, MP Mano Ganesan said the President should also consider establishing special courts for corruption-related cases so that the cases will be heard on a daily basis for conclusions. (Newswire)

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Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said that she was once offered a bribe of USD 5 million, which she promptly refused during her tenure as Prime Minister. 

The former President was speaking at the 45th National Conference of Chartered Accountants in Colombo, where she spoke about rampant corruption in Sri Lanka. 

“It has happened to me. Five million dollars were brought to my table in Parliament. I was still Prime Minister then. I said, take it and get out now. It was brought by the husband of a junior minister in my government. I said I’ll have you arrested, get out with this now,” Bandaranaike recalled, adding that this individual was accompanied by a Singaporean businessman. 

The former President stressed on the need to shape values from a young age, stating that it may not be possible to change the minds of adults who are accustomed to corruption. 

“We had a president who used to say, steal as much as you can, but don’t get caught. He said this to his cabinet. He used to say this to his  parliamentary MPs and local government MPs.”. 

“Everyone stole and nobody was arrested. This system is what has bedevilled our country,” Bandaranaike added. 

She warned that while businessmen may bribe to secure projects, widespread corruption ultimately leads to national bankruptcy.

“What you don’t realise is, okay, you may get that project, once or twice. But when that becomes the practice of the whole country, the country becomes bankrupt.” (Newswire)

“There was a President who said to steal without getting caught,” Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga speaks about corruption, revealing how she refused a 5 million dollar bribe as Prime Minister. pic.twitter.com/zst3NxK3pK

— NewsWire (@NewsWireLK) October 17, 2024

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The services of Colombo Fort Magistrate Kosala Senadheera have been interdicted by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) due to ongoing investigations into allegations during his tenure at the Mount Lavinia District Court.

According to Mawbima newspaper, Magistrate Kosala Senadheera is accused of having illegally obtained electricity and water supply to the Magistrate’s official residence from the courts.

As investigations are ongoing, the Judicial Service Commission has decided to interdict Magistrate Kosala Senadheera until the conclusion of the probe.

Thereby, Colombo Fort Magistrate Kosala Senadheera has been interdicted effective from July 10, 2024.

A preliminary investigation was launched based on a complaint filed with the commission by the Secretary to the Ministry of Justice on July 08. 

The probe comes after Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa recently informed the Parliament of corrupt activities by lower court judges, highlighting the incident of malpractice by the Mount Lavinia District Court judge. (Newswire)

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Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe has revealed activities of corruption by lower court judges in Sri Lanka. 

Addressing the Parliament on Wednesday, the Justice Minister revealed that electricity had been illegally obtained for the official residence of the Mount Lavinia Magistrate. 

“It was found a few days ago that the electricity supply provided for the court premises had been tampered with and an illegal power line had been drawn to the residence of the Mount Lavinia Magistrate,” he said. 

The minister said a power leak at the magistrate’s residence had been inspected during which the the Justice Ministry electrician had been electrocuted but had been saved with great effort. 

“This has been done to include the electricity bill of the magistrate’s residence to that of the courts,” he said, adding that this incident had led to finding out that the water supply had also been illegally obtained to the Magistrate’s residence. 

He also revealed that a complaint had been received claiming that whiskey worth Rs. 200 million had gone missing from the court-seized goods at the Colombo Magistrate’s Court and the incident had occurred while a former justice was at the premises. 

Minister Rajapakshe said as per the complaint it was claimed that the goods had been stolen. 

“However, the Government Analyst’s report revealed that the goods had not been stolen, but someone had entered the room containing the goods, using a key,” he said. 

The Justice Minister went on to note that the Judicial Services Commission does not conduct proper investigations into such incidents and also fails to initiate legal action. 

Stating that his own attempts to address the issues remain futile, Minister WIjeyadasa Rajapakshe said such corrupt activities must stop. (Newswire)

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Minister of Transport, Highways and Media Bandula Gunawardena has called for the digitization of five state institutions, which he identified as the most corrupt in Sri Lanka’s state sector. 

According to Daily Mirror, the Minister said the Sri Lanka Customs, Excise Department, Motor Traffic Department, Inland Revenue Department and Sri Lanka Railways are the five most corrupt state institutions in the nation. 

He pointed out that the volume of corruption was enormous enough to increase state revenue by 50 per cent if the institutions’ activities were digitized in a bid to curb errant practices.

Minister Gunawardena emphasized that digitization was the only means through which corruption and fraud could be rid of at these institutions.

Stating that attempts are underway to digitize the Motor Traffic Department despite various objections, he revealed that at least 20 per cent of vehicles in operation on roads had been registered fraudulently.   

Minister Bandula Gunawardena added that the government was unable to reach its revenue targets due to the five state departments involved in revenue generation being riddled with corruption and fraud. (NewsWire)

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