The Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar yesterday (7) rejected the bail applications filed by former ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando, who were convicted and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment in the “carrom board case,” as both have already appealed their sentences.
The order was delivered by a three-judge bench comprising Priyantha Liyanage, Viraj Weerasuriya, and P. M. T. Bandara.
In its decision, the bench held that a convicted defendant seeking bail pending appeal must demonstrate specific and sufficient grounds. The judges found that the facts presented by the two former ministers did not meet this threshold and therefore refused their applications.
The case, filed by the Bribery Commission, alleged that during the 2015 Presidential Election period, the two former ministers imported 14,000 carrom boards and 1,000 checkers boards through Lanka Sathosa and distributed them among campaign offices of then-presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa, causing a loss exceeding Rs. 53 million to the government.
Following trial, both were found guilty. Former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage received a sentence of 20 years of rigorous imprisonment, while former Minister Nalin Fernando was sentenced to 25 years.
Both have appealed to the Supreme Court seeking to overturn their convictions and be acquitted of all charges.
