Former Western Provincial Council member Salochana Gamage and a businessman, who were arrested on bribery charges, have been granted bail after being presented before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court today (January 24, 2025).
The Colombo Chief Magistrate, Thanuja Lakmali, ordered their release under strict conditions. Each suspect was granted two surety bails of Rs. 500,000 and a cash bail of Rs. 25,000. The guarantors for the bails must be close relatives of the suspects, and both individuals are now subject to travel bans preventing them from leaving the country. The case is scheduled to be recalled on June 20, 2025.
The arrests stem from an operation conducted by the Bribery Commission on December 28, 2024, when the duo was allegedly caught accepting a bribe of Rs. 9 million from a businessman in Pita Kotte. According to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), the bribe was solicited in exchange for expediting compensation related to a land in Torrington Avenue that had been acquired by the Urban Development Authority (UDA).
The investigation was initiated following a complaint filed by a resident of the Madiwela area in Kotte. After their arrest, the suspects were initially remanded by the Colombo Additional Magistrate until January 6, 2025, before being released on bail today.
The Bribery Commission continues its investigation, with the case now awaiting further proceedings.
