Sri Lankan Govt Officer jailed 20 years for soliciting sexual bribe

The Colombo High Court today (May 9) sentenced a Divi Neguma Development Officer to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for soliciting a sexual bribe from a 30-year-old mother of three, in exchange for approving government financial aid for her seven-year-old child’s kidney surgery.

Delivering the verdict, Colombo High Court Judge Aditya Patabendi ordered that the sentence be served over a period of 10 years.

In addition, the judge instructed that the Election Commissioner be informed that the convict will lose his civil rights, including the right to vote.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs. 20,000 on the convict.

While delivering the judgment, the judge emphasized that it is completely unacceptable for a government officer to solicit sexual bribes from a helpless woman in the course of performing his official duties.

Taking into account the gravity of the offence, the judge stated that a lenient sentence was not possible and that the punishment was therefore appropriate.

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