Former Minister Prasanna Ranatunga has agreed to withdraw his appeal and pay a fine of Rs. 25 million to settle a long-running corruption case, his legal counsel confirmed before the Court of Appeal on April 3.
The case dates back to 2015, when Ranatunga was accused of soliciting Rs. 64 million from businessman S. Christian Gihan Mendis in exchange for approving a land development project in Meethotamulla, Colombo. A court found he had misused his ministerial powers and privileges to extort the funds.
Original Verdict
Ranatunga was sentenced in 2022 to two years of rigorous imprisonment, suspended for five years. Rather than continue contesting the conviction, his lawyers told the Court of Appeal he was willing to pay both the fine and compensation, subject to being granted time to arrange payment.
Accountability Signal
The settlement is notable for what it concedes — by withdrawing the appeal, Ranatunga effectively accepts the lower court’s finding that he abused his position. The Rs. 25 million fine, while significantly less than the alleged Rs. 64 million extortion, closes one of several high-profile corruption cases moving through Sri Lanka’s courts as the Dissanayake government maintains pressure on accountability.
