Colombo Chief Magistrates’ Court remands S. M. Chandrasena till 18 July

Saturday, 5 July 2025 00:51 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Former Minister S. M. Chandrasena

The Colombo Chief Magistrates’ Court yesterday ordered to remand former Minister S. M. Chandrasena till 18 July, in connection with the alleged distribution of seed paddy worth Rs. 25 million to his political associates during the 2015 Presidential Election period.

The order was issued by Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali Jayathunga, after the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) arrested and produced Chandrasena before the Court.

Issuing a statement, the Bribery Commission stated that the former Minister is accused of having distributed maize seeds that had been imported in 2014 at a cost of Rs. 25 million to be provided at a concessional price to poor and needy farmers in the Anuradhapura District.

Chandrasena is accused of having intimidated officials at the Anuradhapura District Secretariat, including its Planning Director, to distribute the maize seeds to his political associates.

On 2 April the Colombo High Court sentenced former Minister’s brother and wife to 16 years of Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) after they were found guilty of corruption charges. Chandrasena’s brother was the former North Central Province Chief Minister S. M. Ranjith and his wife was ex-Chief Minister’s private secretary Shanthi Chandrasena (https://www.ft.lk/news/Ex-Chief-Minister-private-secretary-sentenced-to-16-years-RI-for-corruption/56-775116).

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