Piyankara Jayaratne’s Vesak cards corruption case to resume on November 13

Piyankara Jayaratne

The Colombo High Court today (November 2, 2026) ordered that another corruption case against former Minister Piyankara Jayaratne, who is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence, be taken up for further examination of evidence on November 13, 2026.

The case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Rashantha Godawela, with the former Minister being produced before the court by prison officers.

During the hearing, evidence was recorded from an investigating officer in the case, led by an official representing the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

President’s Counsel Shavindra Fernando, appearing on behalf of Jayaratne, then cross-examined the investigating officer.

Following the proceedings, the court postponed the further examination of evidence until November 13, 2026.

The Bribery Commission filed the case against Jayaratne, accusing him of causing a loss of Rs. 128,520 to the government through the unlawful printing of 3,000 Vesak cards between May 10 and June 6, 2013, while serving as the Minister of Civil Aviation.

Meanwhile, Jayaratne was sentenced to an effective seven years of rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo High Court on September 1, 2026, after being convicted in a separate corruption case.

That case involved Rs. 330,000 paid from state-owned SriLankan Catering funds to a hotel in Marawila to provide food for political supporters who attended a May Day rally in 2014.

The court imposed two seven-year prison sentences to be served concurrently and ordered him to pay a fine of Rs. 200,000.