Hambantota Mayor Eraj Fernando sentenced to prison

Mayor of Hambantota Eraj Ravindra Fernando has been sentenced to 5 years imprisonment by the Hambantota High Court.

He was sentenced over the case filed against him for threatening several UNP Parliamentarians with a pistol during their visit to the Hambantota Harbour on April 17, 2014.

Five suspects including the Mayor were charged over the incident, famously dubbed as the “Toy Pistol” case.

Delivering the verdict in the case, High Court Judge Chamara Tennakoon today sentenced Eraj Fernando and another accused to serve 5 years in prison.

The other three suspects in the case were acquitted and released, Ada Derana reporter said.

The Hambantota Mayor had gained notoriety when caught on cameras while chasing away UNP MPs who were conducting an inspection tour to Mattala Airport and Hambantota Port while brandishing a firearm, which he had later claimed was a ‘toy gun’.

Eraj Fernando, Premasiri Parnamana, Tuan Ramzan, Madusha Nilan and Bindu Sri Warnasinghe were charged on 20 counts for attacking a team politicians from Colombo including UNP MPs Ajith P. Perera, Ajith Mannapperuma, Nalin Bandara, Eran Wickremaratne and R. Yogarajan, who were on an inspection tour of the South.

As they were leaving the Hambantota Port Complex, stones and eggs were also hurled at them by the political supporters.

Fernando was re-elected as the Mayor of the Hambantota Municipal Council at the 2018 Local Authorities Election after contesting from the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA).