CEA Chairman granted bail over alleged bribery incident

13 November 2023 03:57 pm Views - 1567

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda

 

COLOMBO (Daily Mirror) - Chairman of the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), Supun Shashendra Pathirage held in remand custody for alleged bribery charges was today granted bail after being produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court. 

He was ordered to be released on a cash bail of Rs.25,000 with two sureties of Rs. 2.5 million each by Colombo Chief Magistrate Prasanna Alwis, taking into account insufficient evidence against the suspect. The Chief Magistrate observed that there are no sufficient materials against the CEA Chairman that he solicited and accepted a bribe.  

However, two other suspects, former Parliamentarian Chaminda Anuruddha Polgampala and Tenison Fonseka were ordered to be further remanded till November 24.  

Three suspects were arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) for allegedly soliciting and accepting a bribe of Rs. 10 million to issue an environmental clearance license for a project to refine furnace oil.