The Colombo High Court today (April 2nd) sentenced former North Central Province Chief Minister S.M. Ranjith and his sister-in-law, Shanthi Chandrasena, to 16 years of rigorous imprisonment.
The verdict follows a prolonged trial initiated by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), which filed six charges against them.
Between 2012 and 2014, S.M. Ranjith, while serving as Chief Minister, was accused of facilitating undue benefits to Shanthi Chandrasena, who was his personal secretary at the time.
The charges included the misappropriation of over Rs 2.6 million through fuel orders, despite an existing fuel allowance in her salary, and pressuring government officials to approve the benefits.
After a lengthy trial, the court ruled that the prosecution had proven the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
Both were found guilty under the Bribery Act and sentenced accordingly.
