Sri Lanka, July 14 -- A former Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Wennappuwa has been sentenced to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo High Court.

The conviction stems from charges of soliciting and accepting a bribe of Rs. 30,000 from the owner of a massage centre to allow it to operate without interference.

High Court Judge Mahesh Weeraman, in addition to the prison sentence, ordered the former ASP to repay the Rs. 30,000 received as a bribe and imposed a fine of Rs. 30,000.

The judge ruled that the prosecution had proven the charges beyond a reasonable doubt concerning an offence committed seven years ago, at a time when the accused was tasked with enforcing the law against offenders.

Failure to pay the fine a...