By Dwayne Ferreira.
Former Civil Aviation Minister Piyankara Jayaratne has reportedly been sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment in a corruption case.
COLOMBO – Former Civil Aviation Minister Piyankara Jayaratne has reportedly been sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment in connection with a corruption case, marking a major development in a series of prosecutions brought against the former minister over alleged misuse of state resources.
The sentence was handed down on Monday, September 1, according to initial court reports. Further details regarding the precise charge on which Jayaratne was convicted, the fine imposed, if any, and whether the sentence will be challenged are expected to emerge as the court proceedings are formally reported.
Jayaratne has faced several corruption cases filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) over transactions that allegedly took place while he served as Sri Lanka’s Minister of Civil Aviation.
CIABOC officially announced in January 2025 that three separate cases had been filed against him before the Colombo High Court.
Three Corruption Cases Filed Against Jayaratne
One case, numbered HCB/353/2025, concerns the printing of 3,000 Vesak greeting cards through the Civil Aviation Authority.
According to CIABOC, the printing allegedly caused a financial loss of Rs. 128,520 to the Civil Aviation Authority.
Jayaratne was formally indicted over the Vesak card case in August 2025 and pleaded not guilty when the charges were read before the Colombo High Court. The prosecution subsequently began leading evidence from witnesses, including a former Deputy Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority.
A second case, HCB/354/2025, alleged that Jayaratne influenced Civil Aviation Authority officials to make a payment of Rs. 360,000 to Vee Hena Farm (Pvt.) Ltd. in Mahawewa, thereby causing an equivalent financial loss to the Authority.
The third case, HCB/355/2025, accused him of influencing CAA officials to credit Rs. 494,000 to a National Savings Bank account operated through the Chilaw branch, causing a corresponding loss to the government.
The Rs. 494,000 case had already proceeded through the Colombo High Court, with Jayaratne being served indictments and released on bail pending trial.
Former Minister Also Questioned Over Airbus Deal
Jayaratne has separately come under scrutiny in the investigation into the controversial 2013 SriLankan Airlines Airbus aircraft procurement deal.
In May 2026, he appeared before CIABOC and provided a statement for nearly four hours after being summoned in connection with the Airbus investigation. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was also questioned as part of the same inquiry.
The Airbus investigation is separate from the three High Court corruption cases filed against Jayaratne in 2025.
Jayaratne served as Minister of Civil Aviation from November 2010 until January 2015. He also previously served as Deputy Speaker of Parliament and later held several state ministerial portfolios.
Further information on Monday’s sentence, including the specific indictment under which he was convicted and any decision by his legal team to appeal, is awaited.
