Sri Lanka, Jan. 20 -- The Supreme Court today (20) set March 9 as the date to hear appeals filed by former ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando against their corruption sentences.

The appeals were considered before a bench comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justice Achala Wengappuli. After reviewing the arguments, the bench ordered the cases to be heard on the scheduled date.

Aluthgamage and Fernando were previously sentenced to 20 and 25 years of rigorous imprisonment, respectively, for allegedly causing a government loss of over 50 million rupees.

The charges relate to the import of 14,000 carrom boards and 11,000 dam planks through Sathosa during the 2015 presidential election.

Both former ministe...