(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –Colombo Magistrate’s Court today sentenced former Deputy Minister Sarana Gunawardena to 3 years in prison over a case on misappropriation of state funds.
Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne sentenced the former Deputy Minister after he was found guilty of causing losses to the government while he was chairman of the Development Lotteries Board. The magistrate also fined the suspect Rs. 300,000 in addition to the jail term.
The case was filed against Sarana Gunawardena by the Bribery Commission alleging that the government had incurred losses when he leased three vehicles at a cost of Rs. 960,000, while he was the chairman of the Development Lotteries Board from May 5, 2005 to April 30, 2007 during the Mahinda Rajapaksa government.
The former UPFA MP was charged under the Public Property Act for misusing state property, while he was serving as the Chairman of Development Lotteries Board.
Following a lengthy trial Colombo Chief Magistrate delivered the verdict stating that the charges against the accused had been proved beyond a reasonable doubt. The magistrate thus decided that he would be sentenced.
