COLOMBO: A manager of a filling station in Anuradhapura accused of concealing fuel has been sentenced to three months imprisonment suspended for three years by the Anuradhapura Magistrate’s Courts, a decision considered as the first of its kind in Sri Lanka.
The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) said this is the first time that a Court in Sri Lanka has sentenced a fuel station manager found guilty of concealing fuel. The manager of the filling station was accused of not selling fuel to the public although he had adequate stocks available.
The CAA accused the manager of hiding 5,813 litres of super diesel and 1,540 litres of petrol. He was sentenced to three months in prison after he pleaded guilty to the charge. Anuradhapura Additional Magistrate Rudrilaka de Silva Hewawasam, who imposed the sentence, ordered that the sentence be suspended for three years.
In addition the additional magistrate who fined the owner of the fuel station Rs.10,000, warned the accused not to commit such acts again and if it is reported to Court strict action will be taken in this regard. The additional magistrate while delivering the decision said that she will give this judgement by directing the court’s special concern regarding the current fuel crisis in the country and the severe oppressive environment in which the people are facing due to the fuel crisis.
The lawyer who appeared for the suspect, told court in his initial submissions that according to the request made by the director of the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital, this fuel was kept in stock for the needs of specialist doctors. However, the lawyer told court that the defendant agreed to plead guilty and end the case at its earliest.
Giving evidence to Court on behalf of the plaintiff, the officer in charge of the Anuradhapura District Office of the Consumer Affairs Authority stated that a hospital director or any other external party has no legal rights to order that the stock of fuel be kept for the needs of various parties without selling it to the consumers. He said that the defendant’s statements are false and they are misleading. In terms of Section 16 (a) of the Consumer Protection Act No. 9 of 2003, a case has been filed against the suspected petrol station manager.(CDN)
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