A Labour Officer from the Colombo West District Secretariat of the Department of Labour has been arrested on charges of demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 250,000.
The arrest took place at around 1.55 p.m. on January 22, 2025, in front of the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation near the Templers Road Junction on Galle Road, Mount Lavinia, following a complaint filed by a local resident.
According to the complaint, the Labour Officer had allegedly demanded the bribe to avoid reporting a case of non-compliance with legal regulations regarding employee salaries at an institution run by the complainant.
The officer is accused of failing to inform higher officials about the need to increase the employee provident fund contributions to the government. Additionally, the officer allegedly withheld important investigation documents seized in connection with previous offences at the institution.
The arrest was made by investigating officers from the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, and the suspect is scheduled to be presented before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.
