Parliamentarian Chamara Sampath Dassanayake has been remanded until October 23 after being arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
The MP was taken into custody by Bribery Commission officials earlier in the day following questioning over allegations of bribery.
The allegations concern claims that Dassanayake solicited a bribe of Rs. 8.1 million from three companies involved in phosphate imports. Investigators allege that the money was deposited into the bank account of Sumathipala Liyanarachchi, who served as the MP’s secretary.
According to the allegations, the funds were subsequently used for the parliamentarian’s political activities, and the payments were obtained without following lawful or approved procedures.
Dassanayake is also facing separate allegations of accepting a Rs. 2.4 million bribe from three gem businessmen. Court proceedings relating to that case are already underway.
The parliamentarian appeared before the Bribery Commission on Monday morning in response to a notice issued as part of ongoing investigations into four bribery-related allegations.
After several hours of questioning and the recording of statements, investigators arrested Dassanayake and subsequently produced him before court.
