A technical officer attached to the Alayadiveambu Pradeshiya Sabha has been arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) on charges of soliciting and accepting a bribe of Rs. 40,000.
The officer allegedly demanded the money in return for issuing the recommendations needed to release retention funds on two completed construction contracts.
The contracts
The first was a drainage system at a public playground belonging to the Alayadiveambu Pradeshiya Sabha. The second was a shop premises in Akkaraipattu town, carried out under the Department of Rural Industries in the Ampara District.
CIABOC alleges the officer solicited and accepted Rs. 20,000 for each contract, totalling Rs. 40,000, from the contractor concerned.
The commission further alleges the officer asked the same person for a Rs. 100,000 loan and obtained a cheque for that amount in connection with the request.
Arrest
Investigating officers arrested the suspect during a raid at around 1.55 p.m. on Monday, August 10, at the complainant’s business premises.
The suspect is scheduled to be produced before the Akkaraipattu Magistrate’s Court.
Retention money is a portion of a contract payment held back by the awarding body until work is certified as complete and defect-free, making the sign-off a recurring pressure point in local government construction contracts.
