Millions in bribes: SSP behind bars

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Satheesh Ranjan Hiyare Gamage has been remanded until August 19 by the Colombo Additional Magistrate's Court in connection with serious charges of bribery, money laundering, and alleged ties to organized crime.

The arrest was carried out by officials from the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), and the suspect was presented before Colombo Additional Magistrate Pavithra Sanjeewani Pathirana. During the hearing, startling revelations were made regarding the senior officer's alleged involvement in corruption during his tenure overseeing the Galle and Embilipitiya police divisions.

According to CIABOC, SSP Hiyare Gamage had accepted bribes from individuals seeking police services, including organized criminals, offenders, and operators of illegal massage parlors. Over a period of eight months, he allegedly accumulated more than Rs. 14 million through these illicit transactions.

The most significant breakthrough in the investigation came through a WhatsApp trail uncovered by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). While investigating a well-known drug trafficker, Dulaj Tharanga, CID officers found three WhatsApp messages on his mobile phone that referred to bank accounts under the name of Anura Nanayakkara. When questioned, Nanayakkara informed investigators that the accounts were not his but belonged to the suspect, SSP Hiyare Gamage, who was involved in a broader financial fraud scheme.

“This is how, Your Honor, the details of this fraudulent activity came to light. Accordingly, the suspect was arrested at his official place of duty,” stated Thusitha Jayanehtni, the Assistant Director of Legal Affairs at CIABOC.

Further investigations revealed that several high-profile drug traffickers had deposited money into the suspicious accounts. One of the suspect's security officers had deposited funds on more than 100 occasions, while his driver had made over 50 deposits, totaling more than Rs. 1.4 million. Additionally, funds were traced to deposits made by a drug trafficker residing overseas and another identified as Amila Paranawithana.

CIABOC also informed the court that the suspect had attempted to influence witnesses, which posed a significant risk to the ongoing investigation. The Commission therefore requested that he be held in custody until the conclusion of the inquiry.

The defense attorney, appearing on behalf of the suspect, argued for bail, noting that a sworn statement by Anura Nanayakkara was only submitted to the Commission on August 5, 2025, despite the investigation having begun in 2024. The defense also referenced a Supreme Court ruling which suggested that bail should be granted under similar circumstances.

After considering submissions from both parties, Magistrate Pavithra Sanjeewani Pathirana rejected the bail request, stating: “Regardless of the suspect’s rank, the investigation is still ongoing, and there is a possibility of witness interference. Therefore, I order that the suspect be remanded until August 19.”