Bribery case:

Ex-Principal gets 18 months' RI

Sandasen MARASINGHE

Colombo High Court yesterday sentenced a former Principal of Sri Jayawardenepura Balika Vidyalaya, Kotte to 18 months rigorous imprisonment for accepting a gratification to admit a student to the school. The Court suspended the sentence to 10 years.

Colombo High Court Judge Sunil Rajapakse convicted former Principal N.M. D. Usgodaarachchi after she pleaded guilty to accepting Rs. 20,000 on February 16, 2006 from a parent to admit a student to grade six. The Court also imposed a fine of Rs. 30,000 and another 18 months RI in default.

She was also ordered to pay back Rs 20,000 as a fine for the gratification she accepted.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption filed the indictment before the Colombo High Court with six counts alleging that Usgodaarachchi demanded Rs. 50,000 or 10 chairs and 10 desks from Sujeewa Malkanthi Herath on January 16, 2006 to admit her daughter to the school.

According to the indictment she had accepted Rs. 20,000 from H. B. Karunaratne, father of the student on February 16.

The Counsel appearing for the Defence submitted before Court that the convict had accepted the money on behalf of the Treasurer of the School Development Committee as he was not present at the moment.

The money was accepted for the development of the school through the School Development Committee. But the principal had to accept the money as the Treasurer or the Vice Principal was not present.