Shashi Weerawansa loses appeal against prison sentence

The Colombo High Court today (June 11) dismissed an appeal filed by Shashi Weerawansa against a two-year prison sentence and a Rs. 100,000 fine imposed for providing false personal information to obtain a diplomatic passport.

Delivering the judgment, Colombo High Court Judge Manjula Thilakaratne upheld the decision of the Colombo Magistrate’s Court and ruled that the earlier conviction and sentence would remain in effect.

Shashi Weerawansa, the wife of former Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa, was convicted by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on May 27, 2022. She was sentenced to two years in prison and fined Rs. 100,000 after being found guilty of the charge.

Following the conviction, she filed an appeal before the Colombo High Court seeking to overturn both the prison sentence and the fine imposed by the lower court.

On May 31, 2022, the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court granted Shashi Weerawansa bail and ordered her release on a cash bail of Rs. 50,000 and two sureties of Rs. 5 million each. The court also imposed a travel ban preventing her from leaving the country.