Former National Livestock Development Board (NLDB) Chairman M. K. Muthuvinayagam and Kadiresu Sivanesan who were arrested for allegedly soliciting a bribe from a businessman, were yesterday, granted bail by the Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne.
They were released on cash bail of Rs. 25,000 and two sureties of Rs. 500,000 each.
The Bribery Commission alleged that the ex-NLDB Chairman had allegedly demanded Rs.1.2 million from a businessman to expedite the lease of a restaurant at the Malsiripura NLDB Farm. However, it was later negotiated to Rs. 600,000.
The ex-Chairman had carried out this deal through a person named Kadiresu Sivanesan.
Sivanesan had been sent to collect the alleged bribe from the businessman and based on a complaint made by the businessman, Bribery Commission officers were on alert. Sivanesan, having obtained the cash called the ex-NLDB Chairman to confirm that he had received the money.
On a previous occasion, President’s Counsel Anil Silva with President’s Counsel Jayantha Weerasinghe, appearing on behalf of the first suspect, told Court that his client was suffering from a serious heart disease and diabetes. He pleaded that his client be granted bail considering his health condition as a special circumstance.
Attorney-at-Law Sajitha Jayawardane appearing on behalf of the second suspect, submitted that his client was still doing his tertiary studies. He said the accused was to sit for his CIMA examination in November and hence, asked that he be granted bail.
The Magistrate fixed further inquiries for February 08.
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