Former Deputy Minister Sarana Gunawardena was today (08) sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo High Court.
The verdict was delivered by Colombo High Court Judge Mohammed Mihail, bringing to a close proceedings in four separate cases filed against Gunawardena by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).
The charges stemmed from his tenure as Chairman of the National Lotteries Board in 2006, during which he was accused of causing financial losses to the government through the irregular procurement of vehicles on a rental basis.
Following the conclusion of the trial, the court found the former deputy minister guilty in the relevant cases and imposed the prison sentence accordingly.
The sentencing had originally been scheduled for May 26 but was postponed after the court informed parties that the judgment had not been fully finalized.
The case is one of several corruption-related prosecutions pursued by the Bribery Commission involving former public officials and allegations of misuse of public funds.
Further details regarding any fines, compensation orders, or possible appeals were not immediately available.
