Welikada OIC arrested over claims he hid Chinese cybercrime suspects’ passports and demanded Rs. 5.7 million in bribes.
Welikada OIC arrest has exposed a disturbing case where a senior police officer is accused of protecting Chinese cybercrime suspects and demanding bribes.
A serious incident, in which law enforcement officers allegedly took the law into their own hands and became protectors of criminals, was revealed yesterday (27).
The revelation came with the arrest of the Officer-in-Charge of the Welikada Police Station.
He is accused of unlawfully hiding the passports of a group of Chinese nationals allegedly involved in one of the largest cybercrime networks reported in Sri Lanka recently.
Investigators allege that he demanded a large sum of money as a bribe to release those passports.
Who Is the Arrested Officer?
The suspect arrested by police is Chief Police Inspector Jayasinghe Arachchilage Saman Nilantha Kumara Jayasinghe, aged 56.
He had been serving as the OIC of the Welikada Police Station.
He was arrested on the morning of May 27, 2026, at around 10:10 am.
The arrest took place at his residence in Maligathenna, Weyangoda.
He was taken into custody by a team including Police Inspector Rajitha Warnapriya, the OIC of the Financial and Commercial Crimes Investigation Division of the Central Criminal Investigation Department.
How the Bribery Racket Was Allegedly Exposed
The incident traces back to a major raid conducted on May 2, 2026.
Nearly 120 Chinese nationals allegedly engaged in cybercrimes were arrested while hiding inside an apartment complex on Madawelikada Road, Welikada.
According to investigations, the suspect OIC had kept 19 passports belonging to 19 of the arrested Chinese nationals in his possession.
He had allegedly failed to present them to court or officially hand them over.
Investigators say this was done to prevent the passports from being used as evidence in court and to extort money by returning them to their owners.
It is alleged that he demanded Rs. 300,000 for the release of one passport.
Accordingly, investigations have confirmed that he had demanded a massive bribe of nearly Rs. 5.7 million for the 19 passports.
Wider Police Corruption Under Investigation
Serious suspicion has now emerged that this incident may not be isolated.
According to available information, the covert operation was launched by the Central Criminal Investigation Department under the direct orders and supervision of the current Inspector General of Police, Attorney Priyantha Weerasuriya.
An even more serious matter has also surfaced during the investigation.
Mobile phones and laptop computers belonging to Chinese nationals and other cybercriminals arrested in Sri Lanka over the past period had allegedly been illegally kept at certain police stations without being produced in court as case evidence.
The IGP’s special attention has now been drawn to whether an organized network exists inside the police to misuse these high-value electronic devices and the sensitive data they contain.
A broad investigation has been launched into the matter.
Is Sri Lanka Becoming a Cybercrime Haven?
The seriousness of this alleged corrupt act must be understood against the background of the international cybercrime threat now facing Sri Lanka.
Serious warnings have already been issued that Sri Lanka is rapidly becoming a major target for international cybercriminals.
Analysts suspect that organized cybercrime networks previously active in countries such as Myanmar, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates are now shifting operations to Sri Lanka.
This shift is believed to be linked to intense legal pressure in those countries.
Sri Lanka’s relatively weak cybercrime laws, combined with limited expert knowledge and technical capacity to combat such crimes, has created a dangerous opening for criminal networks.
As a result, immigration authorities deported 85 Chinese nationals, including 13 women, who were engaged in computer crimes from Sri Lanka on a special flight on June 20.
Furthermore, between January 1, 2026, and May 5, 2026, a total of 628 foreigners, including Chinese, Indian, and Vietnamese nationals, were arrested in various parts of Sri Lanka for different crimes.
What Happens Next?
The arrested suspect, a Chief Police Inspector, is scheduled to be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on May 28, 2026.
The case will proceed under Case No. LOC/MC-04/PC/79357/26 – B.
The emergence of organized crime concealment and bribery inside a law enforcement agency itself is certain to damage public trust in the entire Police Department.
However, the fact that the Central Criminal Investigation Department moved to arrest even a high-ranking officer, regardless of his position, offers some reassurance.
Strict punishment against such corrupt officers is essential if public confidence in law enforcement is to be protected.
