COLOMBO – A Sri Lankan court jailed the former aviation minister for seven years yesterday for allegedly spending US$2 500 of government money to buy lunch for voters attending a ruling party rally.
Piyankara Jayaratne, 61, was also fined 200 000 rupees (US$615) for getting Sri Lankan Catering, a state-owned company, to pick up the food tab for then-president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s May Day rally in 2014.
Colombo High Court Judge Mohamed Mihal said Jayaratne had breached the public trust placed in him to fulfil his personal ambitions by funding the Rajapaksa rally.
“The court will not hesitate to impose prison sentences that send a strong message to public representatives who commit such offences,” he said. The case against Jayaratne was filed in 2019.
He faces two other charges involving the purchase of Airbus aircraft in 2013 and the use of state funds to print personal greeting cards.
The High Court’s latest decision comes amid a widespread crackdown on corruption by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who took office in 2024.
Two former cabinet ministers are already in jail for up to 20 years for corruption crimes, while several deputies are also serving long prison sentences.
On Monday, former finance minister Ravi Karunanayake was arrested for allegedly placing his personal staff on the government payroll.
Another former minister, Keheliya Rambukwella, was arrested earlier this month for allegedly aiding the theft of a centuries-old sacred rock from the palace of the island’s last Sinhala king.
All immediate family members of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa are facing investigation or prosecution over money laundering, bribery and murder.
The Rajapaksas have denied all allegations.
– Nampa/AFP
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