Five accused in ‘garlic scam’ granted bail
October 14, 2021 01:08 pm
The four officials of Sathosa and the businessman who were arrested in connection with the recent ‘garlic scam’ have been granted bail, says Ada Derana reporter.
The case was called before the Wattala Magistrate’s Court this morning (October 14).
On October 11, officers of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) arrested Lanka Sathosa’s Assistant General Manager of Purchasing, Senior Manager-Supplies, Manager-Supplies and the Manager of the Welisara Wholesale Store, after recording their respective statements with regard to the probes being carried out under the supervision of CID’s director.
After being produced before the court, they were ordered to be remanded until today.
On September 14, two containers carrying 54,000 kilograms of garlic belonging to Lanka Sathosa was taken into custody at Kerawalapitiya after they were allegedly pilfered from the port.
Four officials of Lanka Sathosa, the country’s largest state-owned retail chain, were interdicted over the incident while Sathosa’s Deputy General Manager of Finance was arrested two days later.
On October 06, the CID arrested another suspect in Bambalapitiya in connection with the garlic scam. The 55-year-old businessman was taken into custody on suspicion of purchasing the two container loads of garlic weighing up to 54,000 kg which were unlawfully removed from Sathosa.
