CIABOC to indict former Presidential chief-of-staff, Timber Corp head | Daily News

CIABOC to indict former Presidential chief-of-staff, Timber Corp head

Rs 100 Mn bribe in Kanthale Sugar mill deal :

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) yesterday informed Colombo Chief Magistrate’s court that they were expecting to file charges against former President’s Chief of Staff I.H.K. Mahanama and former State Timber Corporation (STC) Chairman P. Dissanayake for allegedly accepting a bribe worth Rs.100 million.

The two senior public servants were caught May 2018 while apparently counting cash inside a car in a dramatic entrapment and arrest in the car park of a prominent Colombo luxury hotel.

The Bribery Commission also informed Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayarathne that they have concluded investigations into the incident and sought a further date to notify the progress of future legal action against the suspects. The suspects are currently out on bail.

The CIABOC investigation began after a complaint that I.H.K. Mahanama had demanded a bribe of Rs. 540 million from an Indian investor who was ready to acquire a section of the Kantale sugar factory.Mahanama had previously been attending to the finalising of this transaction while he was the Land Ministry Secretary. However, the Indian investor had refused to pay the sum stating that it was too high and demanded that it be reduced. After several weeks, the two suspects had allegedly agreed to accept Rs 100 million.

The two were arrested by CIABOC agents in a car park of a luxury hotel in the capital Colombo, on May 3, 2018, while accepting a bribe of Rs. 20 million. The Magistrate fixed further magisterial inquiries for September 10.

 


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