Fishy Deal? Bail In Vacuum Machine Procurement Fraud

COLOMBO (News 1st); Former Chairman of the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation, Lalith Davulgala, along with three other suspects, who were arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), have been released on bail.

The suspects were presented before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama, following which the magistrate ordered their release.

Each suspect was released on two sureties of Rs. 1.5 million, and the court also issued an order banning foreign travel for all four individuals.

The arrests were made in connection with the unauthorized procurement of a high-capacity fish vacuum packaging machine, capable of vacuum-packing 2,000 kilograms of fish per hour, at a time when there was no operational requirement for such equipment.

The purchase was made outside standard procurement procedures, resulting in a financial loss of Rs. 5,856,116 to the government.

The other suspects arrested include:

Chandana Krishantha – Director of Operations
Wijith Pushpakumara – Supply Manager
Anura Chandrasena Bandara – Acting Finance and Operations Manager

CIABOC stated that the procurement took place in 2020.

Further allegations have been levelled against Wijith Pushpakumara, who is accused of demanding a bribe in exchange for releasing part of the Rs. 928,058 payment due to the private supplier. He is also alleged to have received Rs. 100,000 into his personal bank account as a bribe.