Former Civil Aviation Minister Piyankara Jayaratne has been sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment after being found guilty of a corruption charge filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

The sentence was imposed by Colombo High Court Judge Mohamed Mihal following a lengthy trial.

The case relates to a payment of Rs. 330,000 from the accounts of state-owned SriLankan Catering Ltd. to a private catering company in Marawila to provide food for political supporters who participated in the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) May Day rally in 2014.

According to the indictment, Jayaratne, who was Civil Aviation Minister at the time, had induced an executive of SriLankan Catering to make the payment for the catering arrangements.

CIABOC had filed the indictment against the former minister before the Colombo High Court over the transaction. (Newswire)

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The indictment in a bribery case filed under two serious accusations, one involving financial loss to the government through the printing of Vesak cards during the tenure of Piyankara Jayaratne as Civil Aviation Minister, was formally presented before Colombo Chief High Court Judge Manjula Thilakaratne yesterday (04 Aug).

According to the Dinamina newspaper, the former minister, who had been released on bail, was present in court during the hearing.

After court interpreter Malshi Fernando read out the charges, the accused pleaded not guilty to all allegations brought against him.

Subsequently, the examination of evidence commenced. Former Deputy Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority, Panduka Priyanka Jayawira, testified during this phase.

During cross-examination, President’s Counsel Shavendra Fernando, appearing on behalf of the defendant, raised objections over the presentation of secondary evidence allegedly submitted improperly.

The court accepted the objection and scheduled a date to address matters related to the secondary evidence. The next hearing is fixed for October 14. Attorney Ishani Rajapaksa appeared for the complainant.

This case was filed under the allegation that the printing of 3,000 Vesak cards between May 10 and June 6, 2013, caused a financial loss of Rs. 128,520 to the government. 

The complainant named 11 witnesses. The accused was released on bail comprising Rs. 25,000 in cash and a Rs. 2.5 million personal surety.

In addition to this case, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption has filed three more cases against the accused.

One allegation involves coercing officials of the Civil Aviation Authority to approve a payment of Rs.  360,000 to Mahaweli Paddy Farms Pvt Ltd, resulting in financial loss.

Another involves influencing officials to deposit Rs. 494,000 into an account at the National Savings Bank branch in Chilaw, again leading to a loss for the government.

There is also an additional case filed under the accusation of creating a non-existent position within the ministry and making extra salary payments to his personal secretary. (Newswire)

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Former Minister Piyankara Jayaratne has been indicted before the Colombo High Court on charges of corruption, during his tenure as Minister of Civil Aviation.

Piyankara Jayaratne is accused of allegedly coercing officials to deposit Rs.494,000 into a bank account in Chillaw during his ministerial tenure. 

In January this year, the Bribery Commission filed a case against the former minister for misleading the officers of the Civil Aviation Authority into transferring Rs. 494,000 to a Chilaw National Savings Bank account, incurring a loss to the government.

The Bribery Commission had filed a total of three cases against former Minister of Civil Aviation Piyankara Jayaratne over corruption allegations. 

Issuing a notice, the Bribery Commission announced a case was also filed on a loss of Rs. 128,520 incurred by the Sri Lanka Civil Aviation Authority due to the printing of 3,000 Vesak greeting cards.

Another case was filed over the officers of the Civil Aviation Authority being misled into making a payment of Rs. 360,000 to a private organization, incurring a loss to the state. (Newswire)

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The Bribery Commission has filed three cases against former Minister of Civil Aviation Piyankara Jayaratne over corruption allegations. 

Issuing a notice, the Bribery Commission announced the cases were filed at the Colombo High Court on 08 January 2025.

One case has been filed on a loss of Rs. 128,520 incurred by the Sri Lanka Civil Aviation Authority due to the printing of 3,000 Vesak greeting cards.

A second case has been filed over the officers of the Civil Aviation Authority being misled into making a payment of Rs. 360,000 to a private organization, incurring a loss to the state.

The final case has been filed for misleading the officers of the Civil Aviation Authority into transferring an amount of Rs. 494,000 to a Chilaw National Savings Bank account, incurring a loss to the government. (Newswire)

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