Public servants who solicit and accept bribes will be trapped by officials of the Bribery Commission under a special program to be launched this year.
Around 600 investigators of the Bribery Commission have been deployed countrywide for the purpose, Secretary to the Bribery Commission, Apsara Caldera told the Sunday Observer.
She said about 15 public servants were caught red-handed for soliciting and accepting bribes from January 1 to February 15. The suspects included a Chairman of a Pradeshiya Sabha, his driver, four police officers, a Government teacher, four persons including an officer of the Immigration and Emigration Department and an investigations officer of the Consumer Affairs Authority.
These errant public servants were nabbed in seven raids conducted by the Bribery Commission, she said.
Nearly 89 public servants had been arrested and produced in court in 2022 and 2021. Three-hundred new officers will be recruited this year on a directive of President Ranil Wickemesinghe to intensify raids countrywide by acting on tips off by the victims, she added.