Four Police Officers Granted Bail Over Alleged Rs. 500,000 Bribe Demand from Cannabis Grower

19-Aug-2026

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The Wellawaya Magistrate’s Court has ordered the release on bail of four police officers arrested for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 500,000 from a person engaged in illegal cannabis cultivation in the Nikawewa area of Thanamalwila, in return for refraining from taking legal action against him.

The four arrested officers are two police sergeants, a police constable and a driver constable attached to the Monaragala Divisional Criminal Investigation Unit.

The police team had gone to a land in the Thanamalwila-Nikawewa area to raid an illegal cannabis cultivation and arrest the suspects. However, investigations have revealed that the officers accepted Rs. 500,000 as a bribe from a person involved in the cultivation, burned only one of the five cannabis plots located there, and removed the remaining cannabis crop.

Further, during questioning of another suspect arrested by the police, he had stated that the same police officers had provided him with cannabis to dry.

The matter came to light during searches conducted on information received by the Thanamalwila Headquarters Police Inspector.

When the four arrested officers were produced before court, the Magistrate ordered their release on cash bail of Rs. 500,000 each and two sureties valued at Rs. 200,000 each.

The Thanamalwila Headquarters Police are conducting further investigations into the incident.