The Supreme Court has scheduled the appeals filed by former minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and former Lanka Sathosa Chairman Nalin Fernando, both convicted and sentenced in connection with a corruption case, to be taken up on January 20.
These appeals were called today (28) before a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, presided over by Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena.
During the proceedings, the bench ordered that the appeals be listed for hearing on January 20.
At the time of the hearing, both former ministers, currently in remand custody after being sentenced by the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar, were produced before the court by prison officials.
In May this year, the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar sentenced Mahindananda Aluthgamage to 20 years and Nalin Fernando to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment over the importation of sports equipment during the 2015 Presidential Election period.
The case filed by the Bribery Commission accused the duo of having misappropriated Rs. 53.1 million between 01 September and 31 December 2014 during the importation of 14,000 carrom boards and 11,000 draughts boards for distribution to sports clubs. (Newswire)