32 state officials arrested over bribery charges in 2018

Colombo (News1st): The Commission to Investigate Allegations of  Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) said that 32 state officials have been arrested over bribery-related charges this year. The Director General of the Bribery Commission President's Counsel Sarath Jayamanne said that a manager of the Mahaweli Development Authority was arrested for obtaining bribes in Walikanda yesterday. The senior most state officer who was arrested in the history of the Bribery Commission was Former Presidential Chief of Staff I. K. Mahanama. Chairman of the State Timber Corporation P. Dissanayake, Controller of Imports and Exports Control Department Mahagamage Gamini and Chairman of the National Livestock Development Board Nadhan Muttu Vinayagam were also arrested for obtaining bribes. A higher tendency of High ranking officials obtaining bribes was reported this year. CIABOC also arrested state officials in a number of sectors including Senior Governmental assessors, electrical engineers, government planners, police inspectors, and principals.