A Technical Officer attached to the Galle office of the National Housing Development Authority has been arrested on bribery charges.
According to a complaint lodged by a resident of Pitigala, the officer had allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs. 50,000 in exchange for providing the necessary technical assistance and recommendations required to obtain a Rs. 1 million housing grant offered by the Authority for house construction.
As per the complaint, on August 19, the complainant received the first installment of the grant — Rs. 146,000 — during which the officer accepted Rs. 25,000 as part of the bribe.
Later, the officer demanded the remaining Rs. 25,000 to complete the necessary procedures and issue the required technical recommendation.
She was arrested today (15) at around 11:45 a.m. by officials of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) while accepting the money.
The suspect was taken into custody at the Development Division of the Niyagama Divisional Secretariat Office, and is scheduled to be produced before the Baddegama Magistrate’s Court.
