SC sentences former NIE Director to six years over contempt of court in scholarship exam case
May 14, 2026 06:16 pm
A former Director of the National Institute of Education (NIE) has been sentenced to six years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs. 3 million by the Supreme Court after being found guilty of contempt of court in relation to the non-implementation of a court order concerning the 2024 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination.
The accused, I.G.S. Premathilaka, the former Director of the National Institute of Education, was convicted of contempt of court for failing to comply with a Supreme Court directive issued in connection with the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination.
The Supreme Court bench, comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and two other judges, delivered the verdict, Ada Derana reporter said.
In addition to the six-year sentence, the Supreme Court bench also imposed a fine of Rs. 3 million.
Court further ordered that an additional one-year prison term would be enforced if the fine is not paid.
The charges were filed based on allegations that the respondent willfully disregarded a Supreme Court order related to the implementation of directives concerning the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination, thereby amounting to contempt of court.
