In a verdict delivered today, the Colombo High Court sentenced former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for his role in a major corruption scandal that cost the Sri Lankan government over Rs. 53 million. Alongside Aluthgamage, former Trade Minister Nalin Fernando was handed a 25-year sentence, marking one of the most significant convictions of political figures in recent years.
The case, brought forward by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), centered on the alleged misuse of state funds during the run-up to the 2015 Presidential Election. Between September and December 2014, approximately 14,000 carrom boards and 11,000 draughts boards were imported by Sathosa, a state-owned enterprise, and distributed to sports clubs across the island - actions the court found were intended to influence voters and gain political advantage.
Both are accused of trying to boost the failed 2015 re-election bid of Mahinda Rajapaksa. The men would go on to serve in Gotabaya Rajapaksa's cabinet.
The Trial-at-Bar found both ministers guilty beyond reasonable doubt, with the judges agreeing that public funds were misused for personal and political gain. CIABOC urged the court to issue a verdict that would serve both as a punishment and a deterrent against future corruption, emphasizing the widespread damage such financial misconduct inflicts on the public.
Before the court’s ruling, Aluthgamage announced his retirement from active politics, highlighting his family’s longstanding political legacy in Nawalapitiya and his own three-decade-long career in public service.
Aluthgamage is the most senior member of a Rajapaksa-led cabinet to be successfully prosecuted for corruption, and the sentences come as the latest Sri Lankan regime cracks down on the corruption of previous governments. The Rajapaksa regime in particular has been a target of the current National People's Power (NPP) government.
Read more from the AFP here.