Jagath Samantha, brother of former State Minister Sanath Nishantha and former Chairman of the Arachchikattuwa Pradeshiya Sabha, has been sentenced to five and a half years of rigorous imprisonment by the Chilaw High Court. The verdict, delivered today (May 15), found Samantha guilty on multiple charges stemming from an incident in 2007. These charges included obstructing the duties of the Arachchikattuwa Divisional Secretary, threatening the official, and being a member of an unlawful assembly. In addition to the prison term, the court ordered Samantha to pay Rs. 1 million in compensation to the Divisional Secretary, with an additional two-year sentence for non-compliance.
The Pulse
PoliticsCrimeFriday, May 15, 2026
Ex-Minister's Brother, Local Politician Jailed 5.5 Years for Assault and Obstruction
TLDR
Jagath Samantha jailed 5.5 years for 2008 assault/obstruction.
Must pay Rs. 1 million compensation or serve 2 years more.
Verdict comes 19 years after incident involving Dhanasena Surasinghe.
Ex-Minister's brother, Arachchikattuwa politician, found guilty.
Story Update
Update #2\u00b7 May 16 · 12:47 AM