Education Ministry official arrested for Rs.80 000 bribe

By Lakna Paranamanna
While soliciting a Rs. 80, 000 bribe, a technical officer attached to the Audio Visual Unit in the Ministry of Education was taken into custody by the Bribery Commission yesterday.

The accused officer was arrested while accepting an advance of Rs.40, 000 yesterday with the balance being paid only after the completion of the forged G.C.E. O/L certificate. “The complainant was from Wellampitiya. The officer had allegedly demanded a sum of Rs. 100, 000. He had agreed to alter the true results of the complainant’s daughter and to change them into higher results. However, after bargaining, the arrested official had brought it down to a sum of Rs. 80, 000,” said the Bribery Commission Investigations Director, SSP Neville Guruge.

“The officials in the Education Ministry should pay more attention to the corrupt practices that are occurring there. This is a grave situation as the accused had been conducting these activities for a long time,” added Guruge.

The charged officer is due to be produced to courts today.