Remanded for allegedly soliciting bribe to enrol child in school

By T. Farook Thajudeen

Colombo, Jan. 14 (Daily Mirror) - A suspect produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court was today remanded until January 20 in connection with an alleged attempt to solicit a bribe to facilitate the admission of a child to Visaka Vidyalaya, Colombo.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) informed Colombo Additional Magistrate Lahiru Silva that the suspect, identified as Ruwan Chaminda Soysa of Anderson Flats, Narahenpitiya, Colombo 5, had allegedly demanded Rs. 300,000 from the parents of a child, claiming he could arrange the admission of their eldest child to Grade One at Visaka Vidyalaya for the 2026 academic year.

According to CIABOC, the complainants had initially paid Rs. 100,000 to the suspect and subsequently lodged a complaint with the Commission. Acting on the complaint, CIABOC officers arrested the suspect while he was allegedly accepting the remaining Rs. 200,000 near the Police Field Force Unit along Havelock Road, Thimbirigasyaya.

Counsel Anton Senanayake, appearing with Prabashini Gunaratna and Bertrum Medis for the suspect, told court that the complainants had requested the suspect to find a residential address close to Visaka Vidyalaya to be used for school admission purposes. He submitted that the money paid was part of that arrangement and not a bribe, and that the suspect had not committed any offence under the Bribery Act.

The defence moved court to grant bail to the suspect. However, the Magistrate ordered that the suspect be remanded until January 20, pending further investigations.