Bribe Taken Promising Suspended Sentence in Sarana Gunawardena Corruption Case

09-Sep-2026

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A Colombo High Court office assistant has been arrested and remanded in connection with an allegation that he accepted a bribe of Rs. 750,000 after promising to secure a suspended prison sentence for former Deputy Minister Sarana Gunawardena in a corruption case pending before the Colombo High Court.

The suspect, who was arrested on September 8 by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), was produced before court and subsequently remanded.

The arrest was made by CIABOC based on a complaint lodged by Colombo High Court Judge Rashantha Thodawela.

Investigations have revealed that the alleged bribe transaction was connected to the “Medivela Housing” fraud case against Sarana Gunawardena, former Chairman of the Development Lotteries Board and former Deputy Minister, which is currently being heard before High Court Judge Rashantha Thodawela.

Investigating officers said that WhatsApp messages exchanged between the parties and receipts confirming the payment of money had also been seized.

A case was filed against Gunawardena over an alleged fraud committed while he served as Chairman of the Development Lotteries Board in 2006–2007.

He has been accused of committing an act of corruption by inducing officials of the Development Lotteries Board to pay Rs. 1.98 million as an advance lease payment to the owner of a house in the Medivela area, which was to be rented for the Board’s use.