Police IP and Sergeant sentenced to jail for accepting bribes

An Inspector of Police and a Police sergeant found guilty of accepting a bribe, were imposed jail terms after a lengthy trial by Colombo High Court yesterday. The convicted IP was imposed a 16-year jail term on four counts while the Sergeant was sentenced to14 years in jail on five counts by High Court Judge Gihan Kulatunge after observing that the charges against the two convicts were proven beyond reasonable doubt.

However the period of jail terms were reduced to run concurrently within a period of four years on the first convict and the jail term was reduced to run concurrently within a period of 7 years on the second convict.

IP Mahinda Kithsiri Kahapola Aarachchi and the Sergeant Utamma Waduge Sandakelum Raviwansa Jayawardana were arrested by Bribery sleuths at Keeniyawala on November 11, 2011 while accepting a bribe of Rs. 5000 from the complainant M.S. Buddhika Sanjeewa.

It was said that the convicts had solicited Rs 10,000 to release the weighing scales that the suspects had taken into their custody with a consignment wild boar meat that the complainant was to to sell.

The two convicts were arrested by the Bribery sleuths while accepting the part payment of Rs. 5000 from the complainant.