Former Deputy Minister Sarana Gunawardena was sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment today after the Colombo High Court found him guilty on corruption-related charges linked to vehicle procurement during his tenure at the National Lotteries Board.
The judgment was delivered by Colombo High Court Judge Mohomed Mihal, who also ordered the former minister to pay a fine amounting to Rs. 1.8 million.
The case was initiated by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, which had filed four indictments against Gunawardena. The charges alleged that while serving as Chairman of the National Lotteries Board, actions connected to the rental-based procurement of vehicles had resulted in financial losses to the State.
After considering the evidence presented, the court found the accused guilty on all four counts.
Although a four-year rigorous imprisonment sentence was imposed for each individual indictment, the court ruled that all sentences would run concurrently. As a result, the total effective prison term remains four years.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed financial penalties in connection with the convictions, including the ordered fine.
The ruling marks the conclusion of proceedings relating to allegations surrounding procurement decisions made during Gunawardena’s leadership at the National Lotteries Board.
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