May 26, 2025 – June 1, 2025 | Vol.15, #20 | ISSN 3084-9330
Events:
Court verdict on former Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and former Chairperson of Sathosa Nalin Fernando
On May 29, former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo High Court trial-at-bar.[1][2]
The case involved the misappropriation of LKR 53.1 million in public funds through the procurement and distribution of 14,000 carrom boards and 11,000 draughts boards via the state-owned enterprise Sathosa.[3][4][5]The fraudulent activities occurred between September 1 and December 31, 2014, in the lead-up to the 2015 Presidential Election.[6][7]Aluthgamage faced four charges under Section 70 of the Bribery Act.[8][9]He was found guilty on two counts, each carrying a 10-year sentence, totalling 20 years of rigorous imprisonment.[10][11]
Former Sathosa Chairperson and Trade Minister Nalin Fernando was a co-accused in the case and received a 25-year sentence of rigorous imprisonment.[12][13]
The complaint was originally filed by Wasantha Samarasinghe, the current minister of trade, commerce, food security and cooperative development (the then convenor of the Voice Against Corruption movement), with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).[14][15]The case was subsequently prosecuted by the CIABOC.[16][17]
The rejection of the president’s nominee for the position of auditor general
The Constitutional Council (CC) reportedly rejected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s nominee – H. T. P. Chandana – twice for the auditor general post.[18][19][20] On May 22, the CC approved President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s request to allow the acting Auditor General Dharmapala Gammanpila to remain in the post for six more months.[21][22]
Photo credits: Ada Derana
Key insights Court verdict on former minister and high official in the carrom board case fostered public approval of the...