Director of W.M. Mendis Distilleries, Arjun Aloysius, who was sentenced to jail for defaulting on a payment of Rs. 3.5 billion in Value Added Tax (VAT), has been released two months prior to the completion of his prison term.
Prison Spokesman Gamini Dissanayake told Newswire that Arjun Aloysius, along with two others convicted in the case, had been released based on good behaviour.
Gamini Dissanayake said the prison conducts a programme for good behaviour and workplace participation, which enables convicts to reduce 1/3rd of their prison sentence.
As such, Arjun Aloysius and the two other convicts had earned their respective jail term reductions due to good behaviour and were released on Saturday (Feb 23), two months prior to the completion of their prison term, he said.
In October of last year, the trio were sentenced to a six-month jail term by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court for failing to pay the VAT amounting to Rs. 3.5 billion. (Newswire)