Principal arrested over sexual bribery

Principal of Kottawa Ananda ....
in hotel wearing towel ... with applicant's mother

    The Principal of Kottawa, Ananda Vidyalaya, M.G.G. Ddharmadasa was cornered yesterday for trying to take a bribe to admit a child to grade 1. This however was not a cash bribe ... but a sexual bribe. An attractive mother had wanted to admit her child to grade 1 next year in Ananda Vidyalaya and she was informed that her child was disqualified because the child had not complied with the requirements in the application form with low marks. In fact the mother had been frequently contacted by phone asking her to meet the Principal.

   As such, the mother who came to meet the Principal was told by the Principal wearing a 'manamala' smile , "We of course don't admit children who get low marks ... but I can do a favour if I am reciprocated". When the mother had asked what it was, the Principal had indicated the name of a restaurant in Werahera and said, "If you come next Thursday to come with me to go there ... I'll do this favour. Only the two of us know this!"

  At this point she had given her consent without showing any protest and had instead complained about this to the Bribery and Corruption Commission. The mother was then asked to do some role play by the authorities and according to their instructions, she had spoken to the Principal by phone from time to time in a convincing manner that she was to come to the Werahera restaurant on the appointed date.

 As such, the Principal had taken steps to reserve a room at the Werahera restaurant. As arranged, the mother had kept her appointment at the location mentioned on Thursday afternoon and had got into the Principal's vehicle which then proceeded to the restaurant concerned. Officers of the Bribery Department got into action when the two entered the room. At that only 5 minutes had elapsed when the officers tapped on the door and on entering the Principal was caught red-handed wearing only a towel.

 Having been proved that the Principal was trying to take a bribe from the child's mother, he was taken into custody by the officers of the Bribery Commission on Thursday afternoon.

 It was later revealed that though all the required documents had been prepared by this mother to admit her child to Kottawa Ananda Vidyalaya, the child had been disqualified on false grounds.

 On investigations it was revealed that this Principal had on earlier occasions too had told many mothers that he would do a favour if he too was reciprocated and had made similar proposals and that they had either got the favour done by accepting his proposal or that they had gone away without showing any consent. But most of them had feared going behind the police and thus complaining about the matter for fear of tarnishing their self-respect.

 The Principal is expected to be produced in courts today. The police say that this is the first time where a Principal had tried to take a sexual bribe for admitting a child to grade 1 and was taken into custody. The motto of Kottawa Ananda Vidyalaya ironically, GET INTO ACTION WITHOUT DELAY.