The Supreme Court has issued an order for the appeals filed by former Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando to be taken up on January 20.

The petitions seek to overturn the convictions and sentences imposed by a Colombo High Court trial-at-bar related to a corruption charge.

Both Aluthgamage and Fernando, who are currently serving their prison sentences, were produced in open court by prison officials when the matter was called today (28).

On May 29, 2025, the Colombo High Court trial-at-bar sentenced former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and former Minister Nalin Fernando to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment.

The case centred on a corruption charge involving the misuse of public funds, causing a government loss of over Rs. 53 million.

The charge was related to the irregular procurement and distribution of 14,000 carrom boards and 11,000 draughts boards through Sathosa during the 2015 Presidential Election for the political campaign offices supporting then-candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa.