News
Mayor gets five-year jail term for threatening MPs
Hambantota Mayor Eraj Ravindra Fernando and an accomplice were sentenced to five years Rigorous Imprisonment on Friday (2) by the Hambantota High Court after they were found guilty of threatening a group of United National Party parliamentarians and journalists during a fact-finding mission to the Hambantota Port in 2014.
Mayor Fernando and Premasiri Paranamana had been indicted on 29 counts. Both were found guilty of 27 counts by High Court Judge Thamara Thennakoon. Three other accused in the case were acquitted of all charges and released.
The two accused who were found guilty were fined Rs. 5000 each for a single charge. Accordingly they were fined a total of Rs.135,000 each. Court also ordered them to pay Rs.50,000 to each of the five MPs, six journalists and two police officers who were the aggrieved party in the case.