Forest officer arrested over Rs. 10,000 bribe in Buttala

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A Forest Field Assistant of Department of Forest Conservation has been arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 10,000 to allow illegal cultivation on state-owned land.

The suspect, identified as Hewa Lunuwilage Sanath Kumara, was arrested by investigating officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) at the Buttala Bus Stand at around 7:39 PM on October 8, 2026.

He was attached to the Buttala Beat Forest Office under the Wellawaya Range Forest Office.

According to CIABOC, the suspect had allegedly accepted money from the complainant on several occasions in exchange for allowing him to continue chena cultivation on approximately three acres of state-owned land in the Devalamankada area.

The payments were allegedly made to avoid legal action over the illegal cutting of trees and cultivation of the land.

The suspect had subsequently demanded and received monthly payments of Rs. 10,000 to allow the cultivation activities to continue.

He was arrested over allegations of demanding and accepting a further Rs. 10,000 for October 2026.

The arrested suspect is due to be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.