Ex-minister Fowzie sentenced to 2 years, suspended for 10 years

The Colombo High Court yesterday sentenced former Minister A.H.M. Fowzie for two years of rigorous imprisonment and suspended it for 10 years after he pleaded guilty over the charge of misusing a vehicle belonging to the Disaster Management Ministry.

In addition to the prison sentence, the Colombo High Court also imposed a fine of Rs. 400,000 on the former Minister.

Fowzie was accused of misusing a vehicle given by a foreign country to the Disaster Management Centre for private purposes, while he was holding the ministerial portfolio in 2010.

As per the charges, the said luxury vehicle, worth Rs. 20 million, was given to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) by the Netherlands, while Rs. 1 million from the Ministry’s funds had been utilised for the maintenance of the vehicle. 

The High Court Judge pointed out that such actions by a senior politician with 62 years of political experience cannot be taken for granted, but considering the fact that he pleaded guilty at the initial stage and that he is now an elderly person of 86 years of age, the former Minister will be given a lenient sentence.