Bamunuarachchi Pathirannehelage Sarana Guptha Gunawardena (; born 28 April 1964) is a Sri Lankan politician, a former Member of Parliament and a deputy minister.

Corruption charges and conviction On 4 September 2017, Gunawardena was arrested by the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) of Sri Lanka Police on charges relating to the misuse of state property during his tenure as chairman of the National Lotteries Board from 2005 to 2007.

On 6 June 2026, the Colombo High Court convicted Gunawardena on four indictments filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), alleging that he caused losses to the state while serving as chairman of the National Lotteries Board. He received a sentence of four years' rigorous imprisonment for each indictment, to run concurrently, and a fine of Rs. 1.8 million (approximately US$5,345).

Arrest of wife On 25 September 2026, Gunawardena's wife, Chinari Lakmanthi Hettiarachchi, was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) over an alleged attempt to influence court proceedings involving her husband. According to CIABOC, she allegedly offered a Rs. 50,000 bribe to an office assistant attached to Colombo High Court No. 11 in an attempt to secure a suspended prison sentence for Gunawardena. She was scheduled to be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court.

References