Four police officers attached to the Monaragala Division Crimes Unit have been arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 500,000 from a suspect in exchange for refraining from taking legal action following a raid on a cannabis cultivation in the Nikawewa-Demodara Wewa area of Thanamalwila.
The arrested officers include two Police Sergeants, aged 37 and 45, a 39-year-old Police Constable driver, and a 36-year-old Police Constable.
The Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of Thanamalwila Police had received information regarding a cannabis cultivation in the Nikawawa-Demodara Wewa area. A team of police officers subsequently had raided the location on August 11 and arrested a suspect along with cannabis plants.
During a subsequent search of the surrounding area, police had discovered three more cannabis cultivations allegedly belonging to the suspect. Officers also found another cultivated area that had been cut down and burned.
Upon questioning, the suspect had reportedly told police that six officers from the Monaragala Division Crimimes Unit had raided the location on August 10 and allegedly accepted Rs. 500,000 from him in return for not taking legal action.
He further claimed that the officers had destroyed only one of the five cannabis cultivations by setting it on fire and had taken the remaining cannabis plants with them.
Meanwhile, another individual known as “Kalu,” a resident of the Nikawawa area, was arrested with cannabis during the investigation. During questioning, he reportedly told police that six officers from the Monaragala Division Crimes Unit had instructed him to dry the cannabis.
The two suspects were produced before the Wellawaya Magistrate’s Court, where detention orders were obtained to facilitate further questioning.
Based on information revealed during their questioning, Thanamalwila Police arrested the four police officers allegedly involved in the incident.
The suspects are scheduled to be produced before the Wellawaya Magistrate’s Court.
