Heroin case:

Man charged with attempting to bribe OIC

Sandasen MARASINGHE

An indictment was filed against a person who attempted to bribe the Crime OIC of Kalutara Police urging him not to take proper legal action against a suspect nabbed with 23 packets of heroin in April 2007.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption filed the indictment before Colombo High Court against Sanee Pakeer Abdhul Khan of Old Airport Road, Nagoda for soliciting a gratification of Rs 75,000 to Crime OIC of Kalutara Police K.A. Shaminda Roshan Udayanga on October 30, 2007.

According to the indictment Khan had given the bribe to the Crime OIC requesting him not to file indictment against his friend, Meegamu Pattigedara Vimalaratne of Obesekarapura, Rajagiriya before the High Court who was nabbed with heroin in his possession and to produce him before the Magistrate instead.

The same indictment charged Baragamage Ariyaratne of Pamankada, Dehiwela with aiding and abetting, Khan in committing the crime.

Crime OIC of Kalutara Police Roshan Udayanga of Puwakmote, Yatagama, Rambukkana in his statement to the Bribery Commission said he went to Club Road, Kalutara with several Police Officers to arrest a drug peddler on a tip from one his informants on April 13, 2007. There he arrested M. P. Vimalaratne with 23 packets of heroin. When the suspect was brought to Police, two other persons came to the Police suggesting to produce him before the Magistrate but not to file indictment before the High Court and promised to give him a gratification of Rs 100,000. Thereafter they left Police.

Udayanga stated that he made a complaint before the Bribery Commission in this regard and they were taken into custody by the Bribery Commission later. The indictment consists of five productions and eight witnesses including Udayanga and SI Seneviratne and PC Kariyappar of the Bribery Commission.