Two Lanka ex-ministers jailed up to 25 yrs for corruption

COLOMBO, May 29 (AFP): A Sri Lankan court sentenced on Thursday two former ministers from the government of deposed president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to decades in prison in a landmark corruption case.

Ex-sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and former trade minister Anil Fernando were found guilty by the Colombo High Court of misappropriating 53 million rupees ($177,000) of state funds.

The pair were also fined $2,000 for using government money to donate board games-including 14,000 carrom boards and 11,000 draughts sets-in an attempt to boost the failed 2015 re-election bid of Gotabaya's elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Aluthgamage was sentenced to 20 years in jail.