⚖️ Former Deputy Minister Sarana Gunawardena Sentenced to 16 Years for Corruption

• Overview: The Colombo High Court found former Deputy Minister Sarana Gunawardena guilty on all four corruption charges filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC). • The Verdict: Colombo High Court Judge Mohammed Mihail sentenced Gunawardena to 16 years of rigorous imprisonment—comprising four years for each of the four counts—and ordered him to pay a fine of Rs. 1.8 million. • The Case: The indictments were linked to his tenure as Chairman of the Development Lotteries Board (DLB) in 2006. He was convicted of causing financial losses to the State through the irregular procurement of vehicles on a rental basis.