Colombo High Court Judge Manjula Tillekeratne today ordered a suspended two-year prison sentence of five years with hard labor for Minister Prasanna Ranatunga convicted in a case filed alleging that he had extorted money from a businessman.
The judge also imposed a fine of Rs. 25 million on the accused and said that if he failed to pay the fine, he would be sentenced to an additional nine months imprisonment.
In addition, he was ordered to pay a compensation of one million rupees to the businessman who was harmed in the incident and if he fails to pay the compensation, he will be sentenced to an additional three months imprisonment.
The High Court Judge also ordered the acquittal and release of the Minister’s wife, Morin Ranatunga, and another accused in the case.
The incident took place in 2015. The case was heard in connection with threatening a businessman to pay Rs.64 million for providing approval to fill a swamp in the Meethotamulla area and to evict unauthorized occupants while he is serving as the Chief Minister of the Western Province.
The case was filed during the Yahapalana government.
