Forest officer in bribery net

Sandasen Marasinghe

COLOMBO: Colombo High Court Judge Sunil Rajapakse yesterday convicted an employee of the Range Forest Office in Ampara for accepting a bribe and sentenced him to five years rigorous imprisonment.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption indicted Vincent Baduge Palitha Jayaratne of Nelligaswatta, Medagama, Badulla, a Field Assistant attached to the Range Forest Office-Ampara for accepting Rs. 2,000 bribe on January 13, 2003 in return for not taking legal action against the transport of illicit timber.

According to the indictment Jayaratne demanded Rs. 5,000 from Disawe Mudiyanselage Amila Prasanga Bandara and accepted the money for not taking legal action against the latter.

Mapa Nalaka Mihira Bandara of Welagampura Waranketagoda, Ampara was indicted in the same case for aiding and abetting Jayaratne to accept the bribe.

The Court sentenced the two convicts for five years rigorous imprisonment.

Assistant Director of the Legal Division P. Jayasekara appeared for the Commission to Investigate Allegation of Bribery and Corruption.