Former National Lotteries Board Chairperson arrested

Former National Lotteries Board Chairperson Shyamila Perera was arrested today (June 30) over corruption allegations linked to contract appointments.

Shyamila Perera, a resident of Pelawatta, Battaramulla, was arrested at around 1:30 PM today, at the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

She is accused of committing the offence of corruption by appointing three officers to the National Lotteries Board on a contract basis, outside the approved procedure.

The appointments had allegedly been made to positions that were not included in the approved staff of the National Lotteries Board, and where no vacancies existed.

The three officers included two coordinating officers and one management assistant.

They had allegedly been assigned to serve on the staff of then Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake.

It is further alleged that the National Lotteries Board did not obtain any service from these officers, but arrangements had been made to pay them salaries and allowances.

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