The Colombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon ordered the release of former Chairperson of the National Lotteries Board Shyamila Perera, who was arrested by the Commission for the Prevention of Bribery or Corruption on a corruption charge.
After considering the facts presented by President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa, who appeared for the suspect, Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama issued the bail order and ordered the suspect to be released on two sureties of one million rupees each. The Magistrate also imposed a travel ban on her. After posting bail, the Magistrate warned the suspect to refrain from influencing witnesses.
She has been accused of committing the offence of ‘corruption’ by recruiting three officers on a contract basis to the National Lotteries Board, outside the standard procedure, and directing them to serve on the staff of the then Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake. She was arrested yesterday (30) by the Commission to Investigate Bribery or Corruption in connection with that allegation.
The Commission states that under those recruitments, two persons have been recruited on a contract basis for a position not in the approved hierarchy of the National Lotteries Board and one person, two Coordinating Officers and a Management Assistant Officer, for a position in the approved hierarchy without vacancies.
The Commission also points out that the three officers thus appointed have been directed to the staff service of the then Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, and that they have not obtained any service from the National Lotteries Board.
Despite this, the Commission alleges that this corruption offence has been committed by making salaries and allowances from the Board’s provisions be paid to those individuals who have not rendered any service to the National Lotteries Board.