Court employee arrested for accepting bribe

A court official and his sister were arrested while accepting a bribe of BD50,000 for facilitating a convict’s release. Confirming the arrest, Interior Ministry, in a statement, said, “A Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments employee and his lawyer sister were arrested red-handed.” Anti-corruption and Economic & Electronic Security Director General confirmed that the arrest followed a tipoff received. “The department subsequently carried out an investigation which led to the arrest of the duo while accepting an advance,” the official said.

The case will be referred to the Public Prosecution, after completing legal procedures. According to a source at the ministry, the employee was recently promoted to the post of an acting supervisor at the Civilian Court. An official at the Criminal Court, who reportedly approached the official for assistance, is suspected to have tipped off the Anti-corruption Directorate.  The suspect, the source said, was seen entering the official’s office and stayed there for a long time before returning. 

On the next day, the day of the arrest, the suspect’s car was seen parked in the ministry’s parking lots.  Other sources in the ministry confirmed that the amount of the bribe is believed to be  BD50,000. They also confirmed that the official in the Criminal Court, who the suspect had a long meeting a day prior to the arrest, has been summoned to give his testimony. As for the sister, who works as a lawyer, several lawyers said that she is an unknown name in the field.

Lawyers also expressed their surprise about the incident affirming that releasing a detained convict in a fraud case is “impossible”.  Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry didn’t comment on the matter until the time this report was written.