The Colombo Magistrate's Court ordered the release on bail of the former National Lotteries Board (NLB) Chairperson Shyamila Perera, who was arrested yesterday (30 June) over a corruption allegation. 

Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S Bodaragama issued the order after considering submissions made by officials of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and President's Counsel Kalinga Indatissa, who appeared on behalf of the suspect. 

Accordingly, the Magistrate ordered that the suspect be released on two surety bails amounting to Rs. one million each and imposed an overseas travel ban. The Magistrate also ordered the suspect to surrender her passport. The Court further directed the suspect not to influence witnesses after being released on bail.

She was arrested by the Commission over alleged corruption during her tenure at the State institution. The CIABOC said that the arrest relates to allegations that Perera assigned three officers recruited to the NLB to work in the office of the then-Minister Ravi Karunanayake instead of deploying them within the NLB.