Provincial Revenue Dept. officer given two years’ suspended RI sentence

Sabaragamuwa Province Revenue Department former Senior Assessment Officer who pleaded guilty to eight charges, including soliciting Rs.50,000 and accepting a bribe of Rs.35,000 from another person to provide an underestimated valuation for a land, was yesterday sentenced to two years’ rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo High Court.

Following the accused’s guilty plea, Colombo High Court Judge Navaratne Marasinghe sentenced the accused to three months for each charge, suspended for 10 years. In addition to the sentence, the accused was ordered to pay a fine of Rs.32,000 (Rs.4,000 for each charge) and ordered to pay a further Rs.35,000 as a fine, which was the bribe amount accepted.

The Bribery Commission had filed the indictment in the Colombo High Court against the accused for soliciting Rs.50,000 and accepting a bribe of Rs.35,000 from another person to provide an underestimated valuation of a land, on February 15, 2021, while serving as a Sabaragamuwa Province Revenue Department Senior Assessment Officer.

President’s Counsel Nalinda Indatissa sought from the court to give a lenient sentence to his client as she pleaded guilty to the charges at the inception of the trial. Bribery Commission Additional Director General Disana Gurusinghe appeared on behalf of the Bribery Commission while President’s Counsel Nalinda Indatissa appeared for the defence.

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