The Colombo High Court (HC) yesterday sentenced former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage to 20 years RI and former Sathosa Chairman Nalin Fernando to 25 years RI, after finding them guilty of having caused a loss of Rs 53 million to the state coffers by procuring Carrom boards and checkerboards for distribution among sports clubs in the run-up to the 2015 presidential polls.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) informed the HC that the accused had abused their authority to procure 14,000 Carrom boards and 11,000 checkerboards through Sathosa. The counsel appearing for the CIABOC asked for deterrent punishment for the duo.
The CIABO indicted Aluthgamage and Fernando in 2019 when the former was the Sports and the latter Sathosa Chairman for causing a loss of over Rs. 53 million to the government through irregular procurement carrom boards and checkerboards boards.