Sakvithi and wife receive suspended sentences

Chandana Weerakumara, also known as Sakvithi Ranasinghe, and his wife Kumari Anuradhini, who pleaded guilty to charges including operating an illegal financial institution and accepting deposits exceeding Rs. 164.1 million from the public, were sentenced by the Colombo High Court to suspended prison terms and fines.

Colombo High Court Judge Adithya Patabendi, delivering the verdict after the accused pleaded guilty, sentenced each of them to one year of rigorous imprisonment, suspended for ten years.

In addition, each was fined Rs. 25,000.

The judge also ordered that the accused be fingerprinted after paying the fines and subsequently released.

Previously, based on an agreement reached between the prosecution, the defense, and the aggrieved parties, the defense counsel informed the court that the first accused had repaid approximately Rs. 98.5 million, about 60 percent of the total amount accepted from depositors through monthly installments of Rs. 5 million since July 2023.

President’s Counsel Jayanta Weerasinghe, appearing on behalf of the accused, told the court that the first accused had spent around nine years in remand custody, while the second accused had been in custody for about two years.

He further stated that the repayments were made using income earned by conducting tuition classes after the first accused was released on bail.

The President’s Counsel also requested the court to impose lenient sentences, citing that the couple’s two children are due to be married in the near future.

Considering the submissions, the High Court Judge delivered the final verdict accordingly.