Sexual bribe a menace in public service: Justice Minister

• Forgery of land deeds, last wills, other documents a reason for rise in court cases 
• Lawyers, notaries involved in such crimes 
• Thai Embassy land deed also forged 

Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said that sexual bribe had become a menace in the public service.

Making his remarks at a function in Colombo, the Minister said soliciting sexual bribes had been made a criminal offence in the new Anti-corruption Act.

“There are mostly women in our public service. We have introduced this law making sexual bribe a criminal offence,” he said.

The Minister said action had been taken to curb corruption involving politicians and bureaucrats through the enactment of new laws. 

He said forgery of land deeds, last wills, attorney certificates and other documents had been a reason for the surge in the number of civil and criminal court cases in the country. He said even the deed of the Thai Embassy land had been forged. “The law is abused to such an extent in our country.  Those involved in such crimes are not ordinary people. There are lawyers and notaries involved in such acts,” he said.