The former Warakapola Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) Chairman, who was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment over a bribery case, has been released by Colombo High Court following the President’s decision to grant him a presidential pardon.
Former Warakapola Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Lakskshman Pathiraja Samarasinghe was convicted for three counts for soliciting a bribe of Rs. 25,000 to award a tender to construct a road belonging to the Warakapola Pradeshiya Sabha on or around January 1, 1995.
In addition to the imprisonment, the High Court had ordered the former Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman to pay a fine of Rs.15,000 on three counts.
Samarasinghe had appealed challenging the High Court conviction. In 2007, the Court of Appeal had revised the accused’s jail term to three and a half years for each count.
The letter issued by the Presidential Secretariat granting a Presidential pardon to the accused had been submitted to the Colombo High Court. The accused was ordered to be released from the case by High Court Judge Shashi Mahendran.
from daily news