The Chilaw High Court has sentenced a lawyer and a landowner’s manager to lengthy prison terms after finding them guilty of forging deeds and unlawfully selling land belonging to another party, in a case that has raised serious concerns about trust in property transactions and the legal profession in Sri Lanka.
Delivering judgment on February 18, the court ordered both defendants to serve 16-year sentences, to be completed within 10 years, after they were convicted on three charges related to the preparation of fraudulent documents and the sale of thirty perches of land owned by a resident of Waikkal. In addition to imprisonment, each was fined Rs. 180,000 and directed to pay Rs. 800,000 in compensation to the aggrieved party. The judge further ruled that failure to pay the compensation would result in an additional year of imprisonment.
Investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department uncovered a broader scheme in which 26 separate land parcels, covering more than three acres, had allegedly been subdivided, prepared, and sold using forged deeds. Authorities stated that multiple fraudulent transactions were carried out by manipulating documentation to give the appearance of lawful ownership transfers.
The case, filed under the direction of the Attorney General’s Department, led to 26 separate indictments against the two accused. Prosecutors argued that the actions constituted a deliberate abuse of professional responsibility and a calculated effort to exploit public confidence in legal custodianship of property documents.
During submissions before the court, the prosecution stressed that the misconduct represented a grave betrayal of the legal profession, noting that citizens routinely entrust lawyers with safeguarding deeds and other sensitive records because of the profession’s long-standing reputation for integrity. The state urged the court to impose a strong penalty to deter similar abuses and to protect public confidence in land ownership systems.
The ruling is being viewed as a significant judicial response to document fraud and land scams, issues that have periodically surfaced in several parts of the country, including areas such as Mahawewa, where some of the disputed transactions were traced. Legal analysts say the judgment sends a clear signal that manipulation of land records and professional misconduct will attract severe criminal consequences.
