Sri Lanka’s former Labour Minister Manusha Nanayakkara has been dragged into scandal, arrested by the Bribery Commission over shady worker deals with Israel, exposing yet another dark chapter of political corruption.
Sri Lanka’s political stage witnessed fresh drama today as former Minister Manusha Nanayakkara was arrested by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption. The arrest followed his arrival at the Commission headquarters to record a statement connected to an ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities involving the sending of Sri Lankan workers to Israel for agricultural employment during the previous government.
Nanayakkara had appeared at the Commission earlier to provide his account, but the probe quickly escalated into a decisive move that ended with his arrest. The investigation has zeroed in on accusations that improper channels and favoritism were used in worker recruitment programs, sparking allegations of abuse of power and misuse of ministerial authority.
Adding to his troubles, the Colombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday dismissed Nanayakkara’s request to secure bail before his arrest. The ruling left him exposed to the full force of the Bribery Commission’s probe, signaling that the judiciary is unwilling to provide safe passage to political heavyweights caught in corruption scandals.
For many observers, Nanayakkara’s arrest is not just the story of one politician’s downfall but a stark reminder of the persistent culture of corruption surrounding Sri Lanka’s labor export schemes. With the scandal now unfolding in public, pressure is mounting on both the government and investigators to deliver accountability and ensure that worker welfare is never again compromised for political gain.
