The Colombo High Court has sentenced a Sri Lankan businessman to three years of rigorous imprisonment for evading payment of over US$5 million for two container-loads of fruits.
The court also ordered the accused to pay Rs 15 million in compensation to the US-based exporter, according to the Sunday Times.
The accused, a fruit wholesaler from Pettah, had a longstanding business relationship with the US exporter, with payments typically made after the containers arrived in Sri Lanka. Previous transactions had been conducted smoothly based on mutual trust.
However, the businessman failed to pay for the last two shipments, which included grapes and apples. Following the trial, High Court Judge Nadee Aparna Suwandurugoda found him guilty and handed down the sentence.
