SC continues hearing of carrom board case appeals

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda  

The hearings into the appeal applications filed by former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and former Lanka Sathosa Chairman Nalin Fernando, challenging the legality of the High Court judgement that convicted and sentenced them in connection with the controversial carrom board case, were taken up before the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka yesterday for the second consecutive day.   

The appeals were taken up before a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Shiran Goonaratne, Achala Wengappuli, Arjuna Obeyesekere and Sampath Abayakoon.   

On May 29, 2025, the Colombo High Court Permanent Trial-at-Bar sentenced Aluthgamage to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and Fernando to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment after finding them guilty of causing a financial loss exceeding Rs. 53 million to the government.   

President’s Counsel Ali Sabry, appearing on behalf of former Lanka Sathosa Chairman Nalin Fernando, submitted to court that his client had been indicted over the same charges relating to the carrom board incident, which is currently pending before the High Court. He urged the Supreme Court to exercise its jurisdiction to set aside the conviction against his client, stating that the judgement of the Permanent Trial-at-Bar was contrary to the law and inconsistent with the evidence presented.  Through their appeals, Aluthgamage and Fernando stated that they were seeking the jurisdiction of Supreme Court to review the sentence.

They stated that the judgement of the Permanent Trial at Bar is contrary to Law and it is contrary to the evidence.   

They maintained that they have been wrongfully convicted, and they also urged the ground that the Permanent Trial at Bar failed to take cognizance or give due regard with universally established sentencing guidelines and tariff when imposing sanctions on a person convicted.