Former principal sentenced to eight years for bribery

A former principal of a school in Panadura was sentenced to eight years in prison today by the Colombo High Court after she was found guilty of accepting a bribe of Rs 25, 000 to admit a child to the school. 

The offense had been committed in 2009 and the charges had been filed by the Bribery Commission.  

The accused principal, Nadeeka Peiris, of Mahanama College, Panadura asked for a bribe of Rs 25,000 to admit the child who had passed the scholarship examination for the grade 6 class. Since the child’s father, who was a fisherman, didn’t have enough money to give, the child was admitted with the promise of giving the Rs 25,000 later. The principal has then come to the classroom later and scolded the child for not giving the money as promised.

 

The child has also avoided from going to the school for few days as he was laughed at by other classmates because of the incident. A priest who noted that the child is not attending the school has inquired the reason for it. He later came to know about the incident, and directed the father of the child to complain to the Bribery Commission.

The child gave his witness crying at the court described the embarrassing situation he had to face in the classroom as a result of the behaviour of the principal.

The verdict was delivered by Colombo High Court Judge Gihan Kulathunga.

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