Prasanna Ranatunga
Minister of Public Security and Tourism; Chief Government Whip · Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)
Overview
- Status
- CONVICTED
- Current Case
- Convicted in an extortion/threat-related case concerning a demand reported as Rs. 64 million. The two-year rigorous-imprisonment sentence was suspended for five years and a Rs. 25 million fine was imposed. He withdrew his appeal in September 2025.
- Sentence
- 2 years (confirmed total across 1 matter)
- Next Hearing
- 20 October 2026
- Last Verified
- 27 March 2026
The short version
Prasanna Ranatunga was convicted in 2022 (2 years rigorous imprisonment suspended for 5 years + Rs.25 million fine; Rs.10m compensation obligation, with payment deadline reported as 6 Jul 2027.). Convicted in an extortion/threat-related case concerning a demand reported as Rs. 64 million. The two-year rigorous-imprisonment sentence was suspended for five years and a Rs. 25 million fine was imposed. He withdrew his appeal in September 2025. Appeal withdrawn 11 Sep 2025; conviction/suspended sentence therefore remained standing. Court of Appeal challenge was reported withdrawn on 11 Sep 2025 following the payment arrangement. Next scheduled hearing: 20 October 2026.
How did we get here?
- 20 October 2026Case 2
Next Hearing
(Further progress report)
Court: Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court
- 6 June 2022Case 1
Convicted — 2 years rigorous imprisonment suspended for 5 years + Rs.25 million fine; Rs.10m compensation obligation, with payment deadline reported as 6 Jul 2027.
Convicted in an extortion/threat-related case concerning a demand reported as Rs. 64 million. The two-year rigorous-imprisonment sentence was suspended for five years and a Rs. 25 million fine was imposed. He withdrew his appeal in September 2025.
Court: Colombo High Court / Court of Appeal
Court cases
Convicted in an extortion/threat-related case concerning a demand reported as Rs. 64 million. The two-year rigorous-imprisonment sentence was suspended for five years and a Rs. 25 million fine was imposed. He withdrew his appeal in September 2025.
What’s happened
Appeal withdrawn 11 Sep 2025; conviction/suspended sentence therefore remained standing. Court of Appeal challenge was reported withdrawn on 11 Sep 2025 following the payment arrangement.
- Court
- Colombo High Court / Court of Appeal
- Sentence
- 2 years rigorous imprisonment suspended for 5 years + Rs.25 million fine; Rs.10m compensation obligation, with payment deadline reported as 6 Jul 2027.
- Next hearing / due
- Not publicly confirmed
Alleged corruption in connection with an insurance brokerage arrangement while serving as Tourism and Aviation Services Minister, with CIABOC citing approximately Rs. 4,750,828.72.
What’s happened
Arrested 12 Nov 2025 and released on bail the same day; a Jan 2026 report referred to a 27 Mar 2026 next date.
- Court
- Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court
- Next hearing / due
- 20 October 2026
Political career
Ministerial positions
Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation; Industrial Export and Investment Promotion
2019–2020
Minister of Tourism
2020–2022
Minister of Public Security and Tourism; Chief Government Whip
2022–2022
Minister of Urban Development and Housing; Chief Government Whip
2022–2024
Other political positions
No other positions publicly confirmed.
Party history
Long-standing SLFP politician before the 2018 realignment; exact original joining date is not needed for V1.
Reported among politicians obtaining SLPP membership on 11 Nov 2018 and unquestionably an SLPP politician by 2020. Exact legal termination of prior SLFP membership was not independently established.