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Former Dep. Minister indicted on bribery charges sentenced to 4 years R.I. !

(Lanka-e-News - 05.Nov.2017, 11.30PM)  Former Deputy minister Shantha Premaratne who faced charges of collecting a bribe of Rs. 50,000.00  from a poverty stricken lady to get her a job in the government sector was sentenced to four years rigorous imprisonment by Colombo High Court judge Piyasena Ranasinghe .Additionally a fine of Rs. 10,000.00 was also imposed on the convict. 

Shantha Premaratne collected this bribe ten years ago from this penurious victim on the promise that she will be found employment in the Electricity Board , Ampara.  

The Assistant Director Ruwani Wickremesinghe of the Commission inquiring into Bribery and corruption pointed out to court , there is a general belief across  the country that even if public servants are caught by the bribery net , the politicians however somehow escape punishment . Therefore she urged court to deliver a judgment which would change that belief among society because the charges have been proved beyond any reasonable doubts, as well as the punishment to the accused shall  be exemplary  so that bribery will be curbed and controlled to the maximum in the country. Accordingly , the judge delivered the sentence. 
 
It is noteworthy , Shantha Premaratne was the first politico to be sentenced to jail  under the government of good governance . However the case against him was filed not during the period of good governance.  

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by     (2017-11-05 21:18:43)

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  1 discussion on this news

Indeed a shocking revelation concerning a dud job at the Electricity Board. Only 50000? Peanuts no.Was this man sacrificed to display a false front and thus dupe future voters?How did the learned and me lord prosecutor find evidence after so many years?Anway4 years of rigourous bed rest in a prison hospital won't do much harm to the convicted's bundiya.Our Preme could very well be a come back idiot after he is eventually granted parole behind the backs of an intelligent lot of voters.
-- by Lalitha Hengoda on 2017-11-22

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