Two cops indicted for accepting bribe

Sandasen Marasinghe

An indictment has been filed against two police constables before the Colombo High Court for allegedly accepting a bribe to release a person from Police custody. The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption filed the indictment against two Police Constables attached to the Karandeniya Police for allegedly accepting a gratification of Rs 10,000 in 2005.

According to the indictment Police Constables K.V.D. Sunil Premaratne of Payagala and A.K. Ajith Priyasantha of Elpitiya had allegedly demanded and accepted Rs 10,000 to release Basil Deshapriya Ranasinghe of Kahaduwa, Elpitiya who had been kept for seven days in police custody. The Constables had demanded the money from the mother of Ranasinghe Ilandari Deva Nandawathi between January 29, 2005 and February 5, 2005 and accepted it on February 7.

According to a statement made by Nandawathi to the Bribery Commission she had borrowed the money at a monthly interest rate of 10 percent.

Premaratne (29) stated to the Bribery Commission that when he was at home in January 2005, two persons in civil attire came in and introduced themselves as police constables.

They showed him a hand grenade and threatened to produce him before Court. Premaratne also alleged in his statement to the Bribery Commission that the Police had hidden him at the OIC’s Quarters when the Bribery Commission visited the Police.

He said the two police constables had demanded and accepted money from his mother to release him.