Former Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara was arrested earlier today (15) by officials of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) in connection with alleged irregularities in the foreign employment program involving the deployment of Sri Lankan workers to Israel.
Nanayakkara, who was taken into custody this afternoon, was produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court a short while ago.
According to a statement issued by the Bribery Commission, the investigation concerns an agreement signed on November 5, 2023, between the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) and the State of Israel to facilitate employment opportunities for Sri Lankan workers in the agricultural sector.
It is alleged that during his tenure, the former minister misused his authority by unfairly selecting certain individuals for overseas employment, thereby providing them with undue benefits while depriving others of the opportunity. The Commission stated that such actions amounted to corrupt practices and caused disadvantage to other applicants.
The arrest follows the Colombo Magistrate’s Court’s decision yesterday to reject Nanayakkara’s anticipatory bail application, which had sought to prevent his arrest by the Bribery Commission.
The CIABOC confirmed that further investigations into the matter are continuing.
