The Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar today (May 29) sentenced 02 former ministers over their involvement in a major corruption case linked to the importation of sports equipment, which is infamously known as the ‘Carrom Board’ case.
Ex-Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment while former Trade Minister – Nalin Fernando was sentenced to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment for his involvement in the case as the Lanka Sathosa Chairman at that time.
The case, filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), stated that 14,000 carrom boards and 11,000 checkers boards were imported by the Sathosa institution for distribution to sports clubs during the 2015 Presidential Election. The total financial loss to the state was estimated at Rs. 53.1 million.
The verdict was delivered by a three-judge bench comprising Justice Pradeep Hettiarachchi, Justice Pradeep Abeyratne, and Justice Mahesh Weeraman.
The indictment included six counts under Section 70 of the Bribery Act.
The court ruled that the charges brought against the accused had been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was heard for over 06 years.
