Former Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga has been ordered by the Colombo High Court to complete the payment of Rs. 10 million in compensation arising from his bribery conviction on or before July 6, 2027.
Colombo High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga warned that failure to comply with the Appeal Court order would result in the former minister being sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment for violating the appellate court’s directive.
Counsel appearing for Ranatunga assured the court that the compensation would be paid within the stipulated period. Based on that undertaking, the court ordered his release.
The case was called to implement the Court of Appeal’s order relating to Ranatunga’s conviction for soliciting Rs. 64 million from businessman S. Christian Gihan Mendis in return for granting approval to fill a plot of land in Meethotamulla, Kolonnawa. Prosecutors alleged that Ranatunga had accepted Rs. 15 million of the amount demanded.
Ranatunga was convicted by the Colombo High Court on June 6, 2022, and sentenced to two years’ rigorous imprisonment, suspended for five years. He was also fined Rs. 25 million and ordered to pay Rs. 10 million in compensation to the aggrieved businessman. His wife, Stella Ranatunga, who was the second accused in the case, was acquitted.
Following the conviction, Ranatunga appealed the judgment. During the appeal proceedings, his counsel informed the Court of Appeal that the appeal would be withdrawn if additional time was granted to settle the fine and compensation.
The Attorney General’s Department and counsel for the aggrieved party did not object to the request. Accordingly, the Court of Appeal permitted the appeal to be withdrawn, and Ranatunga’s lawyers formally withdrew it on September 11, 2025.
Under the agreement recorded before the Court of Appeal, Ranatunga undertook to pay the Rs. 10 million compensation in monthly instalments of Rs. 1 million from October 1, 2025. The court was informed that Rs. 4 million has already been paid, with the balance required to be settled by July 6, 2027.
