Four former customs officers were sentenced to 35 years of rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo High Court today (06) in connection with the largest-ever bribe taken by state sector employees in Sri Lanka. The convicted officers, Maldeniye Don Upali Gunaratne Perera, Hewa Rajage Wasantha Wimalaweera, Upali Senarath Wickramasinghe, and Sudheera Parakrama Jinadasa, solicited a bribe of Rs. 150 million to release containers of vehicle spare parts imported for the National Transport Board. They were apprehended by the Bribery Commission while receiving Rs. 125 million as part of the total amount.
Although another officer involved in the case was found guilty, he was not sentenced, as he is now deceased. The officer, Jagath Gunathilaka, passed away before the conclusion of the trial.
Colombo High Court Judge Dr. Namal Bandara Balallaya found the four officers guilty on multiple charges, including conspiracy to obtain a bribe, abetting in the conspiracy, soliciting Rs. 150 million, and accepting Rs. 125 million in 2015. In addition to the prison sentences, the judge ordered the recovery of Rs. 125 million from the defendants as a fine, with an additional two years of imprisonment if they fail to pay this amount under Section 26 of the Bribery Act.
The judge also imposed separate fines: Rs. 27,000 for the first defendant and Rs. 25,000 for the other three defendants. If these fines are not paid, each will face an additional 15 months in prison. Judge Dr. Namal Bandara stated that the court found the defendants guilty of all charges presented by the prosecution.
Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, representing the prosecution, explained that the defendants were all long-serving customs officers, with the first defendant having served for 31 years and the others for 27 to 29 years.
He stated, “The vehicle spare parts imported for the Sri Lanka Transport Board, under an agreement with an Indian company, were exempt from taxes. However, the officers claimed that the parts were being sold in the market without paying taxes, initiating an investigation. They misused their powers by coercing the importing company into paying a bribe to avoid a penalty, offering that they would stop the investigation if Rs. 150 million was paid.”
The defense argued that the defendants, aged 60 to 69 and in poor health, should receive lenient sentences due to their age and lack of prior convictions. However, the judge rejected this request, citing that higher court rulings indicate factors like age, health, or having children do not warrant reduced sentences in cases involving serious corruption.
