D
Dian Wei
Guest
Oct 20, 2010
Airport agent fined for graft
By Elena Chong
A FORMER customer service agent who took bribes from a Sri Lankan business to waive excess baggage fees was fined a total of $6,000 on Wednesday. Murali Gobal Krisnan, 29, a Malaysian, was also ordered to pay a penalty of $500. He pleaded guilty to corruptly accepting bribes of $100 and $200 from Kulathunga Arachchilage Nayanajith Lanka Kulathunga, 32, to help passengers check in excess baggage without charging the excess baggage fees.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Agnes Chan told District Judge Paul Quan that Murali was on duty at the Cathay Pacific Airline check-in counters in December 2008 when Lanka approached him to ask if he could help his two Sri Lankan friends check in their excess baggage of about 5kg in total without paying the necessary fees. Murali agreed without seeking approval from his supervising officer. As a result the passengers did not have to pay the extra fees of $133.50.
In January 2009, Lanka met Murali in Little India and passed him $100 as a reward for his assistance. That month, Lanka asked Murali while he was on duty to help five Sri Lankan friends check in their excess baggage of about 15kg without having to pay $400 more. Murali agreed and transferred the excess 15kg to three unknown passengers on the same flight. He was given $200 by Lanka. A third similar charge was taken into consideration. Lanka has since been charged and the case is in pre-trial stage.
