The Colombo High Court has sentenced a Sri Lankan businessman to three years rigorous imprisonment for evading payment of over US$ 5 million for two container-loads of fruits, it was reported.

According to the Sunday Times, the court had also ordered the accused to pay compensation of Rs 15 million to the US exporter.

The accused, a fruit wholesaler based in Pettah, had exported fruits from a US-based exporter for a long time, with the agreement to pay after the container arrives in Sri Lanka.

The business was conducted on mutual trust, with the accused having purchased goods on earlier occasions and having duly paid for them. 

However, the accused had evaded payment for the last two container-loads of fruits, such as grapes and apples, that the US-based exporter had sent to him.

Following the high court trial on the matter, the accused was found guilty and sentenced by High Court Judge Nadee Aparna Suwandurugoda. (Newswire)

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