Ex-Minister Piyankara Jayaratne Convicted, Sentenced to Seven Years

COLOMBO (News 1st): Former Minister Piyankara Jayaratne has been sentenced to seven years' imprisonment following his conviction in a corruption case filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption before the Colombo High Court.

The sentence was delivered when the case was taken up before the Colombo High Court today.

The prosecution alleged that in 2014, while serving as the Minister of Civil Aviation, Piyankara Jayaratne exerted pressure on the Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Catering to make a payment of Rs. 330,000 belonging to the company to a hotel in Marawila, resulting in a financial loss to the State.

The Court imposed a seven-year prison sentence on the first charge and a further seven-year prison sentence on the second charge.

Accordingly, the Court ordered that the two sentences be served concurrently, resulting in an effective prison term of seven years instead of fourteen years.

In addition to the sentence, Priyankara Jayaratne was also ordered to pay a fine of Rs. 200,000.