An officer from the Colombo West District Secretariat of the Department of Labour was arrested yesterday (22) on charges of demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 250,000. 

The arrest took place following a complaint stating that the Labour Officer allegedly demanded the bribe to avoid reporting non-compliance with legal regulations regarding employee salaries at an institution. 

Accordingly, the suspect is accused of failing to inform higher officials of the need to increase the employee provident fund contributions to the Government, and allegedly withholding important documents seized in connection with previous offences at the institution.

The suspect - who was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), is scheduled to be presented before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court (MC).