Former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment, while former Trade Minister Nalin Fernando has been sentenced to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment in connection with the infamous carrom board scam.
The Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar, comprising Justices Mahesh Weeraman, Pradeep Abeyratne, and Amali Ranaweera, delivered the verdict today (May 29) in the case filed by the Bribery Commission.
The court ruled that the charges filed against the accused had been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The two former ministers were found guilty of committing a fraud involving Rs. 53.1 million through the importation of sports equipment, including 14,000 carrom boards and 110 draft boards, intended for distribution to sports clubs between September 1 and December 31, 2014.
The Bribery Commission filed the case under six indictments, accusing the defendants of abusing their official powers for personal or political gain.
During the hearing, the Bribery Commission’s legal officer argued that the defendants had acted wrongfully and misused their positions, causing the government a loss of over Rs. 53 million—money collected through public taxes.
She emphasized that such misuse of public funds inflicted a significant loss on the general public and urged the court to deliver a strong verdict that would serve as a deterrent to others and encourage anti-corruption efforts.
The case was filed by the Director General of the Bribery Commission under Section 70 of the Bribery Act. President’s Counsel Shanaka Ranasinghe represented Mahindananda Aluthgamage, while President’s Counsel Anil Silva appeared for Nalin Fernando.
