Supreme Court continues hearing on appeals by former ministers

The Supreme Court commenced the second day of the appeal hearing filed by former ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando against their prison sentences. A five-member bench led by Justice Preethi Padman Surasena is presiding over the case, with Justices Shiran Gooneratne, Arjuna Obeyesekere, Achala Wengappulli, and Sampath Abeykoon serving as members.

During the proceedings, President’s Counsel Ali Sabry presented further submissions on behalf of Nalin Fernando. The Permanent High Court-at-Trial in Colombo previously sentenced Mahindananda Aluthgamage to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and Nalin Fernando to 30 years of rigorous imprisonment. These convictions stem from charges filed during the previous administration regarding the procurement of 14,000 carrom boards and 11,000 checker boards through Sathosa.

The prosecution alleged that these items were distributed to political offices of then-presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa during the 2015 election, resulting in a loss of nearly 60 million rupees to the state. Both former ministers submitted these appeals to the Supreme Court seeking an acquittal from the charges and the overturning of their sentences.