The Colombo High Court today (05) announced that the order on the preliminary objections in the case filed by the Attorney General against former ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando, and retired Army Major General Nanda Mallawaarachchi, has been postponed until March 25.
The order was issued in relation to the case filed, alleging that during the 2015 Presidential Election period, the two former ministers had imported 14,000 carrom boards and 1,000 checkers boards through Lanka Sathosa and distributed them among campaign offices of then-presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa, thereby causing a loss exceeding Rs. 53 million to the government.
Former minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment while former minister Nalin Fernando was sentenced to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment by the High Court last year.
The two former ministers filed appeals before the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn their convictions and be acquitted of all charges.
Meanwhile, during the hearing of the case today, the accused former ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando were produced before court by prison officials.
Although the court was scheduled to pronounce the order today, High Court Judge Buddhika Sri Ragala stated that the order will be pronounced on March 25.
