The Colombo High Court has sentenced former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and former Sathosa Chairman Nalin Fernando to 25 years, after they were found guilty of causing financial losses to the government through the misuse of public funds.
The convictions stem from the irregular procurement of 14,000 Carrom boards and 11,000 checkers (Daam) boards, imported through Sathosa, a state-owned enterprise, for distribution to sports clubs in the lead-up to the 2015 Presidential Election.
During the final hearing, the prosecuting counsel representing the Bribery Commission argued that the accused had knowingly abused their official powers by authorizing a procurement process that lacked transparency and accountability. The prosecution noted that the transaction caused losses exceeding Rs. 53 million to state coffers, funded by taxpayers.
The counsel emphasized the deliberate nature of the offense and called for a strong judgment to deter similar acts of corruption and reinforce public trust in institutions fighting financial crimes.
The Bribery Commission filed charges against both Aluthgamage and Fernando in 2019 at the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar, marking one of the most prominent corruption cases related to the misuse of state resources during an election period.
