Don Liyeris vs Director-General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption – sllr 2007 volume 2 page 086

In the case between Don Liyeris and the Director-General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption, the court addressed whether the solicitation or acceptance of money by a public servant constitutes bribery as a strict liability offence under section 22 of the Bribery Act. The court held that the mere act of soliciting or accepting gratification for the performance of an official act constituted the offence, regardless of the accused’s purported intent or the nature of the funds. This holding reaffirmed the principle that proof of mens rea (corrupt intention) is not required for an offence of bribery under the relevant statute. Reliance was placed on statutory interpretation of section 22 and prior authority such as Rupasinghe v Attorney-General, emphasizing t