Magistrate queries how suspects were produced in court without court order

Two suspect Kandy Municipal Councilors were arrested by the sleuths of the Bribery Commission in the vehicle park of Kandy private hospital on 5th January 2021 while receiving a bribe of Rs 150,000

Colombo Chief Magistrate Mohamed Mihal yesterday questioned prison officers who produced two suspects of a bribery case in court without any court order and before the conclusion of the investigations by the Bribery Commission.

The two suspect Kandy Municipal Councilors were arrested by the sleuths of the Bribery Commission in the vehicle park of Kandy private hospital on 5th January 2021 while receiving a bribe of Rs 150,000 from a businessman to grant approval to fix a digital sign board nearby Katugastota Bridge.

Bribery Officer SI G. Chandrasiri and Sergeant Ranjith Bandara appearing for the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption told the Magistrate that the Commission had initiated a raid on a complaint made by a businessman Abdul Sattar Siyam of Arruppola Mawatha Kandy over the soliciting of a bribe of Rs.150,000 by the two Kandy Municipal Councillors in order to grant permission to fix a sign board near the Katugastota Bridge.

The Officers said the suspects were arrested on 05.01.2021 in a vehicle park of a private hospital while allegedly receiving the bribe of Rs.150, 000 from the complainant..

SI Chandrasiri informed court that since the investigations were not concluded to remand the two suspects further. The Magistrate further remanded the suspects till January 19.

President Counsel Shanaka Ranasinghe and President Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty appeared for the suspects.