Sri Lanka, Sept. 26 -- The Supreme Court yesterday affirmed a five-year rigorous imprisonment sentence imposed by the Colombo High Court on a former Grama Niladhari convicted of taking a bribe of Rs. 25,000 to expedite housing assistance for a person with disabilities.

A Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justice Achala Wengappuli issued the order, refusing leave to proceed with a special appeal application filed by the accused seeking acquittal and discharge from the sentence.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) had filed the case against the accused-who served in the Kudawa division in Ratnapura-in the Colombo High Court in 2014.

The charges pertained to so...