The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), in collaboration with the Presidential Secretariat, successfully conducted a full-day workshops on May 14,15,16 and 21 2025, focusing on the establishment of Internal Affairs Units (IAUs) and the Anti-Corruption Initiatives Assessment (AIA).

Based on complaints made to the Commission, Investigation Officers arrested a Grama Niladhari and a Sergeant in raids conducted in Jaffna and Kinniya on 29th May 2025. Their details are as follows.

The Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar sentenced former Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and former Sathosa Chairman and former Trade Minister Nalin Fernando on 29th May 2025 for committing the offence of “corruption” by purchasing 14,000 carrom boards and 11,000 checkers boards through Sathosa, allegedly to distribute to schools and sports clubs selected by the Sports Ministry, and distributing them to party offices of the government during the 2015 Presidential Election, thus causing a loss of over 53 million rupees to the government.

The Commission has described the persons meant by “Staff Officer” under Section 80 of the Anti-Corruption Act, No. 9 of 2023, with regard to declaring assets and liabilities, in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2437/07 of 19th May 2025.

With the enactment of the Anti-Corruption Act, No. 9 of 2023, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption functions as the Central Authority on Declaration of Assets and Liabilities specified under Part II of the Act.

Investigation Officers of the Commission arrested an Inspector attached to the Puwarasankulama Police Station on 21st May 2025 over allegations of soliciting and accepting a bribe. The arrest was made following a complaint lodged by a resident of the Settikulama area. According to the complainant, the IP, also the OIC of the Police Station, has solicited and accepted a bribe of Rs. 500,000/- from the complainant to resolve a dispute regarding a land he has purchased. Accordingly, the IP was arrested inside the Puwarasankulama Police Station OIC’s office at around 5.25 p.m. yesterday.

Investigation Officers of the Commission arrested Mr. Ramitha Laksen Bandara Rambukwella on 21st May 2025 on charges of corruption and aiding and abetting the same by serving as the private secretary to former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and receiving the salaries and allowances meant for the Minister’s private staff and thereby causing a loss of over eight million rupees to the government.

Investigation Officers of the Commission arrested the Unit Manager of Mahaweli Authority’s Sandunpitiya Unit Management Office on 21st May 2025 over allegations of soliciting and accepting a bribe. The arrest was made following a complaint lodged by a resident of the Welikanda area. According to the complainant, the Mahaweli Authority has given him a 20-perch land from the Ethugala area to build a house under the Ranaviru Foundation. Since it is a marshy land, he has requested another one, and the said Unit Manager has solicited and accepted a bribe of Rs. 20,000/- from the complainant for facilitating him to get another land and the license. Accordingly, the Unit Manager was arrested inside the Sandunpitiya Unit Management Office.

With the enactment of the Anti-Corruption Act, No. 9 of 2023, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption became the Central Authority on the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities, specified under Section II of the Act. The Act stipulates that the Commission should execute the powers of the Central Authority and undertake its duties and functions.

Investigation Officers of the Commission arrested former Parliamentarian Vithana Patiranage Milan Sajith Jayatilaka today (19.05.2025) on charges of approving illegal plans and defrauding the Dompe Pradeshiya Sabha of money due to it while he was the Chairman of the Pradeshiya Sabha. He was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.

Arrest warrants were issued for former Minister of Agriculture Mr. Mahindananda Aluthgamage after he was named a suspect in making payments for the substandard organic fertilizer shipment imported from Qingdao Seawin Biotech, China, in 2021. He appeared before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today (19.05.2025) and was ordered to be remanded until 26th May 2025.

The former Chairman of the Land Reclamation and Development Corporation, Mr. Liyanarachchige Prasad Harshan de Silva, was arrested by the investigation officers of the Commission yesterday (15.05.2025). The arrest was made in connection with an ongoing investigation regarding allegations of causing a loss to the government by selecting an entity to arrange the opening ceremony of a project implemented under the Land Reclamation and Development Corporation, bypassing the procurement procedures and spending Rs. 27.6 million from the project funds when no allocation was made for such a ceremony.