Ex-Ministers Mahindananda and Nalin Fernando produced before court

Former ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando were brought before the Supreme Court today by prison officials. These two men had been sentenced to rigorous imprisonment after being convicted of corruption, but they have since appealed their sentences. According to a reporter from Ada Derana, the prison officials transported them to the Supreme Court complex not long ago. The Bribery Commission filed the case, claiming that during the 2015 Presidential Election, Aluthgamage and Fernando imported 14,000 carrom boards and 1,000 checkers boards through Lanka Sathosa. They allegedly distributed these items to the campaign offices of then-presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa, which resulted in a loss of over Rs. 53 million to the government. As a result, Mahindananda Aluthgamage received a sentence of 20 years of rigorous imprisonment, while Nalin Fernando was sentenced to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar. Both former ministers have appealed to the Supreme Court, asking to have their convictions overturned and to be cleared of all charges. The appeals are set to be heard today, September 9th.