Cheating case:

Accused gets 22 years’ RI, Rs 60,000 fine

Kapila Somarathne - Panadura Group Corr.

Panadura Provincial High Court Judge Malanee Gunaratne sentenced the first accused in a cheating case to 22 years rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 60,000 in default, 36 months imprisonment.

The second and third accused were also sentenced to two years’ rigorous imprisonment with a suspended sentence on each accused for 10 years.

The first accused had 23 previous convictions regarding cheating and fraud cases.

He pleaded guilty to eight charges in the case.

The first accused, M. Norman Silva is a owner of a property and land sales agency. The second accused is his wife K.M. Sandaya Priyanthi and the third accused is their driver Matarage Chaminda Priyantha.

The Attorney General indicted the first accused for preparing a forged deed in connection with a 30 acre land in Bandaragama valued around Rs 400,000 and selling it to people without the notice of its proprietor and there by cheating the land owner.

The second accused and the third accused were indicted with aiding and abetting the first accused to commit the fraud by preparing the forged deed and selling the land.

Sandaya was sentenced to two years rigorous imprisonment suspended for 10 years and fined Rs 20,000 in default six months imprisonment. His driver Matarage Chaminda Priyadarshana was sentenced to two years’ rigorous imprisonment, suspended for 10 years and fined Rs 20,000 in default of six months imprisonment. Both pleaded guilty.

The first accused Norman Silva was also ordered to pay Rs.256,000 to the first witness in the case.