Lawyer Sentenced to Rigorous Imprisonment
A lawyer convicted of preparing forged documents has been sentenced to five and a half years of rigorous imprisonment by Puttalam High Court Judge Naomi Wickramasekara.
In addition to the prison sentence, the High Court Judge imposed a fine of Rs. 100,000 on the accused lawyer. In default of payment, the lawyer will have to undergo a further two months of simple imprisonment.
The sentence was imposed on a lawyer residing in the Marawila–Katuneriya area.
According to the indictment filed by the Attorney General, the accused lawyer had obtained signatures from a woman on blank sheets of paper on 1 September 1994 and 21 December 1994, and subsequently used those signed blank documents to prepare forged deeds and fraudulently register land.
In delivering the judgment, the High Court Judge stated that the accused lawyer had deliberately prolonged a case that should have been concluded swiftly, and emphasized that the court felt no remorse whatsoever in imposing a severe sentence.
The judgment further notes that it became evident during the trial that the accused lawyer was someone who habitually obtained signatures on blank papers, a practice that represents a serious abuse of professional trust and legal ethics.
In addition to the prison sentence and fine, the court ordered the accused lawyer to pay Rs. 40,000 as compensation to the aggrieved party. If this compensation is not paid, it will be recovered as a fine, and the lawyer will be required to undergo a further 24 months of simple imprisonment.
Contextual implication:
Cases of this nature highlight why Sri Lanka can no longer rely on self-regulation by the legal profession. Mandatory cashless transactions, strict financial audits, and tougher disciplinary oversight are essential to dismantle entrenched corruption within the legal system and to restore public trust in the rule of law.