• Rs 1.8 m fine imposed 

The Colombo High Court has sentenced former Deputy Minister Sarana Gunawardena to four years of rigourous imprisonment (RI) for each of the four counts of charges on which he was found guilty in a corruption case filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC). Accordingly, the Court ordered a total sentence of 16 years in RI. In addition to the prison term, the Court imposed a total fine of Rs 1.8 million across the cases. Judge Mohamed Mihail delivered the verdict following the conclusion of the trial. Delivering the verdict, the Judge stated that the corruption charges filed by the Commission against the accused had been proven beyond reasonable doubt by the prosecution. 

The Judge further observed in his ruling that corruption in State institutions negatively impacts the country’s economy and contributes to economic instability. He noted that such acts also undermine public confidence in Government institutions.

During the sentencing, the defence counsel had requested the Court to act leniently under Section 303 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. 

However, the Judge stated that given the nature of the offences, the Court was compelled to impose a sentence that would serve to discourage corruption within public institutions.

The CIABOC had filed four cases against Gunawardena, alleging that during his tenure as the Chairperson of the Development Lotteries Board in 2006, he had caused a financial loss to the State by procuring three vehicles on a rental basis in a manner that allegedly provided undue benefits to the respective owners