Sri Lanka’s Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has announced the arrest of a current military member suspected of accepting a bribe from a former army officer to aid in the resolution of a pending loan. This information was disclosed in a statement released by the anti-corruption agency.
On April 30, CIABOC officials apprehended the lance corporal stationed at an army base in Anuradhapura following a formal complaint. According to the statement issued on Sunday, the arrest was made based on accusations that the suspect solicited and received a bribe from the retired officer, who was the complainant.
It has been reported that the suspect promised to help the complainant with the payment of a retirement loan. After reviewing the loan information provided, he allegedly asserted that a sum of Rs. 2,500,000 could be obtained. To facilitate this grant, he purportedly requested “pre-payments,” persuading the complainant to transfer a total of Rs. 129,600 into a designated People’s Bank account on three different occasions, as stated by CIABOC.
The arrest occurred after the suspect allegedly sought an additional bribe of Rs. 13,457, claiming it was necessary for “documentation fees” to be deposited into the same account.
Following the arrest, the suspect was presented before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court, where he was remanded in custody until May 8.
The administration led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has prioritized anti-corruption efforts, emphasizing strict enforcement of the Anti-Corruption Act and the recently introduced Public Finance Management Law to enhance institutional integrity.
CIABOC has recently ramped up its activities targeting both high-level corruption and lower-level bribery, including the recent detentions of military personnel connected to fraudulent financial activities.
Opposition parties have raised concerns regarding the CIABOC’s impartiality, arguing that it has been slow to investigate certain ministers in the current administration despite numerous complaints.
In addition to punitive actions, the government is increasingly focusing on digitalization within public sectors, exemplified by recent reforms in Sri Lanka Customs, aimed at minimizing human discretion and manual processes that have historically facilitated bribery and corruption.
These reforms are deemed essential for preserving the confidence of international lenders and ensuring that the nation’s economic recovery is not jeopardized by the misappropriation of public funds.
