Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanka S. Bodaragama today (24) ordered the release on bail for the staff officer of former Deputy Minister of Housing and Construction, Indika Bandaranayake, and the former Fisheries Department officer, who were arrested by the Bribery Commission for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 245,000 to secure a job at the Ports Authority.

The suspects were released on two sureties of Rs. 1 million each.

The Court also ordered a travel ban on the suspects.

The released suspects were identified as a staff member of the former Deputy Minister and an officer currently attached to the Department of Inland Revenue.

Bail was granted after it was revealed that Rs. 239,000 of the Rs. 245,000 accepted as a bribe had been repaid to the complainant.

The Bribery Commission informed the Court that the investigation began following a complaint lodged in September 2019 by a resident of the Matale area, and the suspects had repaid the money afterthe Commission began its probe.

The defence counsel for the suspects requested bail, considering the fact that the suspects had agreed to cooperate with the Bribery Commission's investigation and had repaid the money.

After considering the submissions from both parties, the Chief Magistrate granted bail and ordered the Bribery Commission to present the progress of the investigation to the Court on January 23.