Corruption a blind spot for graft watchdog, tackling minions

Until August this year, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) was able to file bribery charges against 48 people, but not a single corruption case, a progress report by the commission revealed.

The report covers January 1 to August 31. Only five cases have been filed in Magistrates’ Courts in which six are accused, while another 31 cases filed in the High Courts, 42 are accused.

Among the 42 accused, most are low-ranking state officials, including police constables, sergeants, main bus stop recorder, watcher, technical officer, office assistants, principal, excise driver, Grama Niladhari, members of Pradeshiya Sabhas, and some civilians.

There were no cases filed at the trial- at- bar Special High Court that was setup by the previous regime.

The anti- corruption agency also noted that from the 25 ‘ successful bribery raids’ so far this year, some 23 were arrested. Among the 1,425 complaints the commission received up to August 31, 1,066 of them were submitted for further investigation.

The commission also concluded some 43 pending cases where legal proceedings started at Magistrates’ Courts (8) and High Court (35) by August.

In the Magistrates’ Courts, four were convicted while another four were acquitted. In High Court, the commission secured 18 convictions and 17 were acquitted.

There are 276 pending cases of which 87 are in Magistrates’ Courts, 189 in High Courts and two cases at the trial-at-bar Special High Court.