Oct 24, Kandy: a Sri Lankan court today sentenced seven suspects to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment over the acid attack on former Audit Superintendent Lalith Ambanwela in 2002.

The suspects have been charged with 8 counts including causing serious bodily injuries by throwing acid and attempted murder.

Kandy High Court Judge Prithi Padman Soorasena today sentenced the suspects under the first charge to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and the accused under the second charge to 20 years of imprisonment.

Former Deputy Director of Education, Central Province, Ananda Munsinghe, Chief Accountant, Education Department Ananda Weerasinghe, Mohamed Razik Rehan, Saji Hussain Seyyadu, Marikkar Nilfer, Marikkar Imitiyaz and Mohamed Rahuman were the accused.

Additionaly, the judge ordered the two chief suspects each to pay 200,000 rupees in compensation to the victim. The third accused Mohamed Razik Rehan who was the mastermind of the attack has been ordered to pay 5 million rupees in addition to the jail term.

If the suspects fail to make the required payment they would be subjected to two more years of imprisonment.

The suspects who have come in a three wheeler had thrown a bowl of acid at the official when he was driving home from work on May 20th 2002.

The official at the time of the attack was investigating the misappropriation of Rs. 44 million of funds by Central Provincial Education Department officials.

Ambanwela lost his right eye in the attack and was disfigured severely with acid burns on his face. He suffered acid burns in lungs and trachea as he was forced to swallow the acid thrown at him.

Ambanwela returned to work at the Auditor General's Department on May 8, 2009.