The Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar has ordered the rejection of bail applications filed by former ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando, who were convicted and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment in the “carrom board case”, as both have filed appeals against their sentences.

The order was issued by a three-judge bench comprising Priyantha Liyanage, Viraj Weerasuriya, and P.M.T. Bandara, said Ada Derana reporter.

In delivering the decision, the bench stated that a defendant convicted by the court must present specific facts in a bail application pending an appeal. 

The judges noted that the facts presented by these former ministers were not sufficient to warrant bail, and therefore, their applications were rejected, said Ada Derana reporter.

The case was filed by the Bribery Commission, 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.

Following the trial, the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar found both former ministers guilty.

Former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment while former Minister Nalin Fernando was sentenced to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment.

Both former ministers have filed appeals before the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn their convictions and acquittal of all charges.