Constable arrested for soliciting Rs 10,000 bribe inside the Panadura court complex

A constable attached to the Moronthuduwa police station was arrested for soliciting a bribe of Rs 10,000 from a group of suspects within the Panadura Court Complex yesterday (Mar 05).

The suspects were arrested by the Moronthuduwa police following a tip-off provided by an agriculture service officer claiming that the group were setting up a paddy field on a plot of land that was allocated to build a temple.

Police officials had taken swift measures to apprehend the suspects along with some tools which were in their possession. They were produced before the Panadura courts and subsequently released on bail.

However, the police constable had requested a bribe of Rs 20,000 from the suspects while claiming that he would not raise any objection towards the court decision to grant bail.

Officials of the Bribery Commission were tipped-off regarding this move by the suspects themselves, and had arrested the constable while he was accepting Rs 10,000 out of the total bribe.

The constable is expected to be produced before the Panadura Magistrates Court in due course.