Carrom Board case : Mahindananda Aluthgamage sentenced to 20 years
The Colombo Permanent High Court-at-Bar today sentenced two former Sri Lankan ministers to lengthy prison terms with hard labor over a high-profile corruption case related to the importation of sports equipment.
Former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment, while former Trade Minister Nalin Fernando received a 25-year sentence.
The verdict was delivered by a three-judge bench comprising Justices Mahesh Weeraman, Pradeep Abeyratne, and Amali Ranawera.
The case, prosecuted by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), centered on a fraudulent procurement deal involving 14,000 carrom boards and 11,000 checkerboards imported between September 1 and December 31, 2014.
The total financial loss to the state was estimated at Rs. 53.1 million.
The indictment, filed by the Director General of CIABOC, included six serious charges under Section 70 of the Bribery Act. The court found that the charges against the accused were proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The corruption case was linked to the period leading up to the 2015 Presidential Election, during which both individuals served as ministers.