Water Board Officials Accused of Corruption Plot Bailed

COLOMBO (News 1st); Three suspects, including National Water Supply and Drainage Board Additional General Manager Darshana Medawatte, who were arrested over a corruption allegation, were ordered to be released on bail.

The order was issued when the case was taken up before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama.

During the proceedings, officers from the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption submitted a detailed report outlining the progress of the investigation.

The Magistrate inquired from the investigating officers whether there was any objection to granting bail to the suspects. Investigators stated that they had no objection.

Accordingly, the Colombo Chief Magistrate ordered that each of the three suspects be released on two surety bails of Rs. 5,000,000 each.

The Magistrate further imposed a foreign travel ban on the suspects and ordered them to surrender their passports to the court.

The three individuals were arrested and produced in court over allegations of conspiring to commit corruption by arranging for the Board’s Chairman, who already had two official vehicles, to obtain a Toyota Prado on a rental basis, thereby providing him undue benefit and causing a financial loss of Rs. 12.75 million to the government.

The case is scheduled to be called again on May 29.