Lanka ex-ministers jailed
A cargo ship sails towards Colombo Harbour as a Sri Lankan national flag is seen, amid the country's economic crisis in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 23, 2022. PHOTO: REUTERS
A Sri Lankan court sentenced on Thursday two former ministers from the government of deposed president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to decades in prison in a landmark corruption case.
Ex-sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and former trade minister Anil Fernando were found guilty by the Colombo High Court of misappropriating 53 million rupees ($177,000) of state funds.
The pair were also fined $2,000 for using government money to donate board games -- including 14,000 carrom boards and 11,000 draughts sets -- in an attempt to boost the failed 2015 re-election bid of Gotabaya's elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Aluthgamage was sentenced to 20 years in jail. Fernando was sentenced to 25 years. Aluthgamage is now the most senior member of a Rajapaksa-led cabinet to be successfully prosecuted for corruption.
The cases against both men were initiated six years ago, when the Rajapaksa brothers were out of power, but the case had been making slow headway until a new government took office last year. AFP
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