Customs Director arrested on bribery charges

THURSDAY, 03 JANUARY 2013 

The Commission to investigate Bribery or Corruption said today it had arrested a Customs Director who heads the Preventive Division on charges for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs.1 million to issue a certificate for the release of a container carrying spare parts.

Bribery Commission Director General Lakshmi Jayawickarama said it had been revealed that initially the customs officer had asked for Rs.5 million from a vehicle spare parts importer at Ibankatuwa in Negombo but this was later reduced to Rs.2 million.

“The Customs Director was arrested while in the act of accepting a part of the bribe,” she said.

Two teams were deployed to arrest the customs officer. (Supun Dias and Sanath Desmond)