Senior Police officer arrested over Rs. 10 Million bribery tied to underworld

Acting Director of the Police Cultural Division, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sathish Gamage, was arrested today (August 14) by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

He was taken into custody over allegations of accepting bribes exceeding 10 million rupees from members of powerful underworld gangs and drug traffickers.

Investigations have revealed that the bribe money was deposited into the suspect’s bank accounts, as well as into the accounts of his relatives and associates.

Following a lengthy investigation, the senior police officer who was serving at the Police Field Force Headquarters at the time was apprehended.

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

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UPDATE – 02:25 PM:

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has ordered that the Acting Director of the Police Cultural Division, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sathish Gamage who was taken into custody by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) be remanded until August 19, 2025.

This order was issued by Colombo Additional Magistrate Pavithra Sanjeewani Pathirana after considering submissions made by CIABOC officials and state counsel.

It was revealed that during his tenure as SSP in charge of the Galle and Embilipitiya Police Divisions, the suspect had opened three accounts in a private bank under another person’s name and had accepted bribes amounting to nearly 14 million rupees from organised criminals, individuals seeking police services, and other offenders.

He was arrested and produced before the court on charges of accepting bribes and money laundering.