Prime Minister Presents Detailed Breakdown of Corruption Arrests

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya presented a comprehensive report to Parliament detailing the number of individuals arrested over bribery and corruption charges, including politicians, public officials, civilians, and relatives of political figures.

According to the Prime Minister, 86 individuals were arrested in 2024 on bribery-related charges. 

As of June 30, 2025, an additional 34 individuals have been arrested for bribery and 29 for corruption, bringing the total for 2025 to 63 arrests.

The breakdown includes:

Politicians and former politicians: 7 arrested for corruption.

Public officials and former officials: 58 arrested in 2024; 28 for bribery and 14 for corruption in 2025.

Civilians: 28 arrested in 2024; 6 for bribery and 3 for corruption in 2025.

Relatives of politicians: 5 arrested for corruption in 2025.

Dr. Amarasuriya emphasized that the newly introduced Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 has significantly expanded the powers of the Bribery and Corruption Investigation Commission, enabling it to focus not only on prosecution but also on preventive measures.

She also announced the formulation of a National Anti-Corruption Action Plan for 2025–2029, which received Cabinet approval on March 24, 2025. The plan outlines a series of strategic actions across multiple sectors aimed at strengthening institutional integrity and accountability over the next five years.